Women’s Swimming Adds Six Spring Commitments

ST. BONAVENTURE, N.Y. – St. Bonaventure women's swimming head coach Seth Johnson announced on Tuesday that six recruits have committed to join the improving program beginning in the 2012-13 season.

The six joining Johnson's program are: Taylor Anderson (Mississauga, Ont. / Erindale Secondary School), Luci Kovalovsky (Owego, N.Y. / Owego Free Academy), Laura O'Beirne (El Paso, Texas / Eastwood High School), Lex Scanlan (Deerfield, Ill. / Deerfield High School), Meghan van Raalte (San Ramon, Calif. / California High School) and Sierra Wilkinson (Cypress, Texas / Cypress Woods High School).

"We are very excited with not only the overall talent that our spring commitments possess but also the positive qualities that they will bring to our team, classroom and community," Johnson said. "We look forward to getting both our new additions and returners together in August and beginning our work toward the Atlantic 10 Championship."

The group represents four different states – from as far west as California to as far south as Texas – and two different countries. Below is more information on each:

Taylor Anderson (Mississauga, Ont. / Erindale Secondary School)
Anderson was part of a silver-medal winning team this past year at the Canada Cup in the 4x100-yard freestyle relay and the 4x200-yard freestyle relay. The Canada Cup is a series of competitions boasting Canada's best and often Olympic qualifiers. She also competed in, and qualified for, the finals at Mare Nostrum – a three-meet world-renowned competition held every June around the Mediterranean Sea with locations in France, Spain and Monaco.

She also competed at Mare Nostrum as a junior, in addition to winning a bronze medal at the Short Course Provincial Championships in the 4x100 medley relay. Anderson plans to major in journalism and mass communication at St. Bonaventure.

Luci Kovalovsky (Owego, N.Y. / Owego Free Academy)
Kovalovsky had a standout senior season in which she won four sectional final events in leading her team to the Section IV Class B title for the third consecutive year. She qualified for the state meet in two different relays and the 100-yard backstroke, breaking the Section IV record in the 100 back at the state meet with a time of 57.73.

As a junior she qualified for the state championship in the 200-yard medley relay and 100 back, in addition to the 400-yard freestyle relay. Away from her high school swimming, Kovalovsky has swam for the Greater Owego Swim Team since 1st grade. Her brother, Jed, runs cross country and track and field at SUNY Fredonia. Kovalovsky plans to major in special education at St. Bonaventure.

Laura O'Beirne (El Paso, Texas / Eastwood High School)
O'Beirne has gradually progressed throughout her high school career to become not only one of the best swimmers in her region of Texas, but also the entire state. Her senior year she became the school and district record holder in the 100-yard breaststroke while finishing first in the district, second in the region and ninth in the state.

As a sophomore and junior, she finished second in district in the 100 breast and third in the region in the 100 breast both years, improving off her freshman campaign. An AP Scholar, O'Beirne was an Academic All-District and Academic All-American while also serving as the National Honor Society President at Eastwood High. O'Beirne plans to major in physical therapy at St. Bonaventure.

Lex Scanlan (Deerfield, Ill. / Deerfield High School)
An all-state and all-conference selection as a senior, Scanlan qualified for the Illinois state championship meet in the 100-yard backstroke, 200-yard medley relay and 200-yard freestyle relay, breaking the school record in each of the relays during her final year. Scanlan was named as an all-conference choice in each of her four years, helping guide her Deerfield team to a conference championship in each of those four seasons.

Away from the pool, Scanlan is a member of the Deerfield Honor Society and the French National Honor Society, in addition to being an AP Scholar. She was recently named an Illinois State Scholar and has been on the High Honor Roll all seven of her high school semesters. Scanlan has volunteered throughout high school with underprivileged children and has also been a member of the water polo team for three years, serving as team captain as a senior. Scanlan plans to major in political science at St. Bonaventure.

Meghan van Raalte (San Ramon, Calif. / California High School)
Van Raalte had a stellar senior year, breaking three school records en route to All-American consideration in the 200-yard medley relay – one of those three school records she broke. She also broke the record in the 50-yard freestyle and 4x100 free relay and finished sixth at the North Coast Section Championship finals in the 200 relay.

As a junior, she was named an All-American in the 200 relay, finished fifth in the NCS Championship final and broke the school record she set as a sophomore. A multi-sport athlete, van Raatle also played water polo for three years in high school. Van Raalte plans to major in business finance at St. Bonaventure.

Sierra Wilkinson (Cypress, Texas / Cypress Woods High School)
Wilkinson has spent her junior and senior high school years swimming for the Fleet / Cyprees Fairbanks Swim Club where she has been a state regional qualifier in both the 50- and 100-yard freestyle. As a freshman and sophomore, Wilkinson was the district medalist in the 50-yard freestyle, 200-yard medley relay and 400-yard freestyle relay.

During her sophomore season, Wilkinson was all-state in the 200 medley en route to being named a Texas Interscholastic Swimming Coaches Association All-Region selection. An Honor Roll student, Wilkinson has been active in her church youth group and coaching under-6 boys youth soccer. She plans to major in marketing at St. Bonaventure.