North Carolina State University Athletics
Women's Swimming & Diving Signs Six
12/10/2008 12:00:00 AM | Swimming
RALEIGH, N.C. The NC State women’s swimming and diving program has signed six student-athletes to join the program, as announced by head coach Brooks Teal and head diving coach Jenny Keim Johansen on Wednesday, Dec. 10. Kirsten Esplin, Allison Hendren, Marifrances Henley, Hannah Hopkins, Tracy Rorer and Kirstyn Shepler will all be a part of the program when the 2009-10 season begins next school year.
“We’ve seen consistent progress in our women’s recruiting and this has to been one of the best classes that we’ve had since I have been at NC State,” said Teal. “These ladies can all come in and contribute, have an immediate impact, and help us continue to move up in the ACC.”
Hopkins and Shepler mark solid additions to the diving squad, while Esplin, Hendren, Henley and Rorer will bolster the swimming roster.
A Raleigh-area local, Esplin is the school record holder in the 500 freestyle at nearby Cardinal Gibbons. An academic All-America selection, she has earned both all-conference and all-state accolades and is a two-time member of the North Carolina zone team. Esplin also owns a short course national cut in the 100 breaststroke.
Hendren, also of Raleigh, attends Leesville Road High where she is a two-time team MVP. She has collected six spring national junior cuts, as well as both summer junior national, short course national, and U.S. Open cuts in the 50 freestyle. Hendren recently picked up national cuts in the 100 freestyle and 200 freestyle.
Henley, a native of Memphis, Tenn., attends White Station High where her career has been nothing short of stellar. The three-year letterwinner has top-three finishes in the state for both 200 and 500 freestyle en route to collecting team MVP honors. An All-America selection in the 200 and 500 freestyle, as well as the 200-medley relay and 400 freestyle relays, Henley holds county records in the 100 and 200 IM, as well as the 200-medley relay and 400 freestyle relay. She is also a short course qualifier in senior nationals.
Hopkins comes from Greensboro, N.C. A member of the Duke Aquatics club squad under coach Johansen and Drew Johansen, she joins the Wolfpack with tremendous potential in all three events. As a newcomer to the sport she competed at the 2008 AAU diving nationals and took second in the 3-meter (336.65) and 10th in the 1-meter (279.60) dives. Hopkins comes from a gymnastics background and carries a championship level work ethic.
Rorer, hailing from St. Petersburg, Fla., is a four-time team MVP at St. Petersburg High. She owns national cuts in the 100 breaststroke, 200 breaststroke and 200 IM, as well as high school records in the 100 breaststroke, 100 butterfly, 200 IM, 50 freestyle and 100 freestyle. She is also a member of school record-holding relays in the 200 freestyle, 400 freestyle and 200 medley. Rorer also competes with the St. Petersburg Aquatics Club where she has been a part of several No. 1 nationally ranked relay teams throughout the past several years. She chose NC State over offers from Florida State, LSU and South Carolina.
Shepler will join the Pack via Point Vedra Beach, Fla. A senior at Nease High, she also competes with Team Orlando on the club circuit under the leadership of coaches Jay and Wendy Lerew, as well as North Florida Diving with coach Melisa Hyams. Shepler will enter Raleigh with a strong background in the platform dive. She has already enjoyed success with qualifying for the U.S.A. diving senior nationals for the 10-meter dive, as well as placing 10th last year with a 357.55 at junior nationals. Her solid history in all three events will add depth and experience to the Pack’s diving corps.
NC State men’s and women’s swimming and diving will return to team competition on Jan. 9 at home against Michigan State at Casey Natatorium.
“We’ve seen consistent progress in our women’s recruiting and this has to been one of the best classes that we’ve had since I have been at NC State,” said Teal. “These ladies can all come in and contribute, have an immediate impact, and help us continue to move up in the ACC.”
Hopkins and Shepler mark solid additions to the diving squad, while Esplin, Hendren, Henley and Rorer will bolster the swimming roster.
A Raleigh-area local, Esplin is the school record holder in the 500 freestyle at nearby Cardinal Gibbons. An academic All-America selection, she has earned both all-conference and all-state accolades and is a two-time member of the North Carolina zone team. Esplin also owns a short course national cut in the 100 breaststroke.
Hendren, also of Raleigh, attends Leesville Road High where she is a two-time team MVP. She has collected six spring national junior cuts, as well as both summer junior national, short course national, and U.S. Open cuts in the 50 freestyle. Hendren recently picked up national cuts in the 100 freestyle and 200 freestyle.
Henley, a native of Memphis, Tenn., attends White Station High where her career has been nothing short of stellar. The three-year letterwinner has top-three finishes in the state for both 200 and 500 freestyle en route to collecting team MVP honors. An All-America selection in the 200 and 500 freestyle, as well as the 200-medley relay and 400 freestyle relays, Henley holds county records in the 100 and 200 IM, as well as the 200-medley relay and 400 freestyle relay. She is also a short course qualifier in senior nationals.
Hopkins comes from Greensboro, N.C. A member of the Duke Aquatics club squad under coach Johansen and Drew Johansen, she joins the Wolfpack with tremendous potential in all three events. As a newcomer to the sport she competed at the 2008 AAU diving nationals and took second in the 3-meter (336.65) and 10th in the 1-meter (279.60) dives. Hopkins comes from a gymnastics background and carries a championship level work ethic.
Rorer, hailing from St. Petersburg, Fla., is a four-time team MVP at St. Petersburg High. She owns national cuts in the 100 breaststroke, 200 breaststroke and 200 IM, as well as high school records in the 100 breaststroke, 100 butterfly, 200 IM, 50 freestyle and 100 freestyle. She is also a member of school record-holding relays in the 200 freestyle, 400 freestyle and 200 medley. Rorer also competes with the St. Petersburg Aquatics Club where she has been a part of several No. 1 nationally ranked relay teams throughout the past several years. She chose NC State over offers from Florida State, LSU and South Carolina.
Shepler will join the Pack via Point Vedra Beach, Fla. A senior at Nease High, she also competes with Team Orlando on the club circuit under the leadership of coaches Jay and Wendy Lerew, as well as North Florida Diving with coach Melisa Hyams. Shepler will enter Raleigh with a strong background in the platform dive. She has already enjoyed success with qualifying for the U.S.A. diving senior nationals for the 10-meter dive, as well as placing 10th last year with a 357.55 at junior nationals. Her solid history in all three events will add depth and experience to the Pack’s diving corps.
NC State men’s and women’s swimming and diving will return to team competition on Jan. 9 at home against Michigan State at Casey Natatorium.
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