June 8, 2009
Duquesne University swimming coach David Sheets recently announced the addition of 11 new swimmers who will join the Dukes this fall. New to the women's squad will be Karissa Gorman (Southampton, Mass./Hampshire Regional), Miriam McGeath (Roanoke, Va./Patrick Henry), Meghann McGoldrick (San Antonio, Texas/Winston Churchill), Megan Hayles (Brockport, N.Y./Aquinas Institute) and Hilary Hocson (Newburgh, N.Y./Newburgh Free Academy). Joining the men's team will be Hunter Chiasson (Duxbury, Mass./Duxbury), Nicholas Kovacs (Emmaus, Pa./Emmaus), Mark Krchnak (Clearfield, Pa/Clearfield), Doug McWhorter (Charlottesville, Va./Broadneck), Adam Wenner (Carlisle, Pa./Cumberland Valley) and Zach Wardle (Belle Vernon, Pa./Belle Vernon). These 11 student-athletes will join Mitchell Smith and Caitlin Zajko who signed with the Dukes during the early signing period.
Gorman was a two-time state champion in the 100 breaststroke and also a two-time Massachusetts Bay State Games champion in the 100 and 200 breaststrokes. She was a YMCA national qualifier in the short and long course and won the New England Swimming top 10 award for both breaststroke events.
McGeath comes to Duquesne as a district and regional champion as well as a top three finisher in the state of Virginia. She was also four-time First Team All-Timesland selection and a team captain also.
McGoldrick brings an impressive resume of accomplishments to Duquesne. She was a part of six regional championships, seven district championships, seven high school All-American awards and 18 All-Texas swim team awards. A four-year letter-winner her team placed second in the 5A division at the Texas state meet.
Hayles will join her sister on the Duquesne squad for the 2009-10 season. A four-year high school letter-winner, she was a two-time team MVP, a four-year sectional qualifier and recipient of the team's most improved award. She also holds a school record in the butterfly.
Hocson was a state qualifier in the 100 breaststroke, 200 IM, 200 medley relay and 400 free relay. The school record holder in the 100 breast, she was also a Section 9 runner-up in the 100 breast and 200 IM and a Speedo Championship Series qualifier in seven events.
Chiasson was a four-year letterman and team captain for his high school team which had an undefeated regular season his senior year. A three-time conference all-star, he was also an NSCA junior national qualifier in the 100 and 200 backstrokes.
Kovacs finished first in the state with his teammates in the 400 free relay with a state record time of 3:04.09. He was also a member of the state runner-up and school record setting 200 free relay. A four-year letterman, he was the recipient of the Matt Kush Memorial award.
Krchnak will join the Red and Blue as an eight-time regional champion with three region 6/9 records. He was also a nine-time district nine champion, holding two district records. A four-time team record holder and the owner of four pool records, he was a two-time team captain and also a team MVP.
McWhorter was instrumental in his team winning county, regional and state championships as a junior and senior. He finished first at the state meet in the 50 free, 100 free and 400 free relay each year while adding a first place showing in the 200 medley relay as a senior. In club action, he was twice named to the Maryland All-Star team in the 50 and 100 free and competed in the Speedo sectionals as well.
Wenner was a four-time state qualifier and is the school record holder in the 200 medley relay and 400 free relay. He was a district and conference qualifier in the maximum four events all four years and a team captain as a senior.
Wardle was a four-year letterman and four-year WPIAL qualifier, both individually and in relays. The school record holder in the 50 and 100 free and 200 and 400 free relays, he qualified for WPIAL's in every event as a senior and qualified for states as a junior and senior.
