Women's swimming signs five athletes during early signing period

ST. BONAVENTURE, N.Y. - St. Bonaventure women’s swimming head coach Seth Johnson announced the signing of five student athletes to National Letters of Intent during the early signing period.

McKenzie Courtney (Lima, Ohio/Shawnee), Whitney Daughtery (Louisville, Colo/Monarch), Molly Erickson (Elma, N.Y./Iroquois), Paige Gutowski, and Paige Weslaski (Racine, Wis./J.I Case) will join the Bonnies next fall for the 2010-2011 season.

“Our class has a lot of versatility in terms of the events that they are able to swim and that is going to allow us to use them in multiple areas of need for us next year,” said head coach Seth Johnson. “This is a fairly big class for the early period but our low roster numbers, and what we are losing in our senior class this upcoming year, demanded that we bring in a class of this size.”

Courtney was the Western Buckeye League champion in the 100-yard breaststroke, was part of the record-setting 400-yard freestyle relay. Shawnee won the Western Buckeye League and sectional championships her junior year. The Lima, Ohio, product holds the Shawnee High School record holder in the 200-yard IM (2:12.79), 100-yard breaststroke (1:06.89) and the 400-yard freestyle relay team (3:41.14).

Daughtery was a member of the 2009 All-American 200-yard medley relay team and earned All-American consideration for the 100-yard breaststroke her junior season. She was the undefeated League Champion for the 2009 League Championships. She was also a member of the Junior National Team from 2006-2009.

Erickson currently holds the varsity record in the 50-yard freestyle and is part of the 200-yard medley and freestyle relays that also hold varsity records. During her junior year she was a New York State Qualifer.

Weslaski won sectionals in the 200-yard freestyle, 500-yard freestyle, 200-yard freestyle relay and the 400-yard freestyle relay who took first place. She currently holds the J.I. Case high school record for the 200-yard and 500-yard freestyle.

“We are not done in terms of recruiting as we are still working hard to fill a few more holes and add even more depth to our 2010 recruiting class during the spring signing period.”

The Bonnies are back in the pool this weekend in Akron, Ohio for the Zippy Invitational.