OMAHA, Neb. – Omaha head swimming and diving coach
Todd Samland announced the addition of six newcomers to the program for the 2018-19 season.
The additions include freshmen
Morgan Bonderer,
Bethany Gatlin,
Sydney Haynes,
Abbey Mitchell,
Lauryn Schieffer and
Emma Weis.
"Our recruiting coordinator has done a fabulous job," said Samland. "We have six freshmen coming in, and all of them have the ability to contribute immediately to our program. Our recruiting focus was to bring in great athletes who are also great students. Our team has conference goals and we also want to reach a high team GPA. I think we have the perfect balance for that with this class."
Bonderer swam for Kearney High School in Kearney, Mo., where she finished first in the conference and sixth in the state meet as a senior. She also tallied state meet records in the 200 free relay, 200 medley relay and 400 medley relay. She was named All-Conference in the 200 free relay, 200 medley relay, 100 fly and 100 back, All-State Honorable Mention in the 100 fly and 400 free relay, All-State in the 200 free relay and 200 medley relay during her senior season. She was also a member of three straight conference championship teams.
Gatlin comes to the Mavericks from Briar Woods High School in Ashburn, Va., where she was a three-time conference champion and two-time state runner-up. A four-time state qualifier, she was recently named a conference champion in the 400 free relay and a member of the school record-breaking 200 and 400 free relay teams as a senior. She also has qualified for state in the 50, 100, 200 free, 100 fly, 200 IM, 400 free relay and 200 medley relay during her career. For club swimming, she was a member of the 2016 NCSA championship team, and qualified for the Speedo Sectionals and the NCSA Junior Nationals four times from 2015-18. She was also a member of the National Honor Society, Co-President of the Spanish Club and the American Sign Language Club in high school.
Haynes hails from Marvin Ridge High School in Waxhaw, N.C. where she was a four-year letterwinner. She finished runner up in the 4x100 women's freestyle relay at the 3A NCHSAA State Championships as a senior, while placing in the top-10 in multiple events as an upperclassman. She placed sixth in the 3A Western Regional Meet and seventh at the 3A NCHSAA State meet in the 500 free. Throughout her career, she helped her team to three straight 3A NCHSAA State Championships, and was a member of the National Beta Club while also being an AP Student.
Mitchell is a native of Kailua, Hawaii, from Le Jardin Academy. She was voted Most Inspirational of her high school three times and finished third in the 200 medley relay at the HHSAA State Championships as a senior. A former team captain of her high school, she also finished third in the 200 IM and third in the 100 breaststroke at the ILH Championships. During her junior season, she finished runner-up in the 200 IM at the ILH Championships and third in the 100 breast at the HCHAA State Championships. For her club, she placed third in the 100 breast at the 2014 Hawaii State Championships and helped her team to a pair of 200 medley State Championships in 2015 and 2017. She is also a member of the National Honor Society and the Spanish Honor Society.
Schieffer was a four-year letterwinner at Southeast Polk High School and a native of Altoona, Iowa. The younger sister of former Maverick
Hilary Schieffer, she was a three-time state qualifier in the 200 and 500 freestyle and also qualified twice in the 200 and 400 freestyle relays. She recorded multiple top-5 swims for the school and placed second in and third in the 200 and 400 freestyle relays in state, and set a pair of school records in the process. In club, she qualified for the USA Futures three years in a row for multiple events. Schieffer also had numerous top-3 finishes at the USA State Long and Short Course meets, while also being named a top-3 point winner at the USA State Long Course meet. Lastly, she was a USA Futures A finalist in the 200 backstroke.
Weis was a four-year letterwinner from Kearney, Neb., at Kearney High School. During her time, she was a three-time state qualifier and conference champion as a diver. As a senior she broke the 6-meter dive school record. Weis also competed for the Greater Nebraska Dive Club and was also a member of the National Honor Society during her time in high school.
The Mavericks open the 2018-19 season Friday, Oct. 6, at home against Northern Iowa. Competition is set to take place at the HPER Pool at 6 p.m.
