Westlake swimmer commits to Texas

[Glad2BeBack]

Looks like Coach Brackin is starting to load up.
Look forward to seeing you at Texas Mary, congrats!!

Westlake swimmer commits to Texas
By Rick Cantu | Monday, February 11, 2008, 03:58 PM
National record holder Mary Beck of Westlake High School has committed to swim at the University of Texas.

Beck, a junior, said Texas was the only college she considered, despite being recruited by nearly every major swimming program in the country.

“Texas will win the national championship soon and I want to be part of it,” Beck said Monday.

Beck set a new national girls high school record in the 200-yard individual medley at Saturday’s Class 5A Region VII swim meet with a time of 1:56.45 minutes. That time broke the record set by Michelle McKeehan of Center Grove High School, Ind., earlier in the day.

Before McKeehan’s swim Saturday, Beck had held the national record since winning the 200 IM at last season’s state meet.

Beck said Westlake has a good shot of winning the girls team title for the second straight year at the upcoming state meet. She also plans to participate in the U.S. Olympic Trials June 29 to July 6 in Omaha, Neb.

Beck, 16, has lived in Austin since her family moved from Denver two years ago. She is a member of Longhorn Aquatics, coached by Randy Reese and Dave Kalange.

LINK

 

[Napoleon]

Welcome aboard!! When I was in school, we were winning National Championships nearly every year in women's swimming. We need to get back there.

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[Handler XIII]

 

[TXBabe97]

Is she related to Matt Beck, who swam for the Horns' National Championship team in '96? IIRC, he was backstroke and quite the badass.

 

[Bill in Sinton]

 

[sessamoid]

Another female Texas swimming commit breaks some records:

Women’s Swimming and Diving notebook: Feb. 15

Front row (left to right): Regina Hersey, Kathleen Hersey, Brian Hersey; Back row (left to right): Tommy Marshall, Terry Blish, Mark Minier
Front row (left to right): Regina Hersey, Kathleen Hersey, Brian Hersey; Back row (left to right): Tommy Marshall, Terry Blish, Mark Minier

AUSTIN, Texas -- Texas swimming signee Kathleen Hersey (Roswell, Ga./Marist), a three-time gold medalist at the 2007 Pan American Games, set two new national independent high school records last weekend at the 2008 Georgia Class 1-4A High School State Championships.

Hersey blasted Mary DeScenza’s national independent high school mark in the 100-yard butterfly, clocking 52.44 to easily eclipse DeScenza’s previous top national mark of 53.11 set on Nov. 18, 2000. Hersey fell shy of the fastest high school mark ever by three one-hundredths of a second.

Hersey also set a new national independent high school record in the 200-yard individual medley, clocking 1:57.41 to top Olympic gold medalist Natalie Coughlin’s previous record of 1:58.45 set in 1998.

Hersey and seven other student-athletes signed National Letters of Intent last November to join the Texas women’s swimming and diving program this August.

Longhorns Featured in NCAA Individual Rankings
Several Longhorns are featured in the latest release of the NCAA individual event rankings. Below is an event-by-event listing featuring Texas swimmers.

 

[overseasbbfan1]

Our 2008 incoming class is stellar and features several world class, Olympic caliber athletes. With those already on board we should be a title contender next season. The addition of Beck in '09 is also exciting. The other recruit I have been wondering about is Jessica Rodriguez...along with Beck she is among the best out there (a national champion and Pan Am gold medalist I believe) and a member of Longhorn Aquatics club team. Does anyone know if she is class of '09 also? Is she expected to sign with the Horns? Another question I have is about former NCAA finalist Gisela Morales...she transfered from Auburn to UT and had three years of eligibility remaining. I recall the article on Texassports about her joining her old coach Brackin here, and she was listed on the roster, but her name is gone now. I wondered what happened as she didn't compete this season. Anyone know what her status is or why she is no longer on the roster?

 

[texashorne]

I am very happy to see The women's program returning to form. This is great news.