Kentucky swimming and diving coach Gary Conelly announced Friday the signing of six student-athletes for the 2006-07 season. Anna Sirmon (Mobile, Ala.), Christina Morgan (Winter Springs, Fla.), Megan Pulskamp (Spartanburg, S.C.), Chris Richard (Sturgeon Bay, Wisc.), Kyle Greene (Cincinnati, Ohio) and Eric McGinnis (Raleigh, N.C.) all signed National Letters of Intent to join the Wildcat swimming program.
On the women?s side, the three women signed are all expected be strong contributors right away next season.
Sirmon, a current senior at St. Paul?s Episcopal High School, is an Alabama High School All-America and has captured a state championship in the 200 IM. Greene is expected to bolster the middle distance corps and compete in the freestyle, butterfly and 200 IM events.
?We are very pleased to add Anna to our team,? Conelly said. ?She is joining her Mobile teammate Haleigh Kerns here. Haleigh has done a tremendous job for us and Anna is cut from the same mold. She will make us a much more versatile and flexible team in dual meets. At conference and NCAA competitions she will not only bolster our individual events, but should make a significant impact in our relays.?
The freestyle group will also be strengthened next year with the arrival of Christina Morgan. Morgan is known for her fast times in individual and relay events.
?Christina will bolster our sprint group,? Conelly said. ?She should be on our sprint relays and should help all of them to qualify for the NCAA Championships. With her speed added to our returning sprinters we should rewrite the UK sprint record books. We are all very excited to see her race in the individual and relay events next season.?
The Cats butterfly group will also receive a huge boost from Megan Pulskamp. Pulskamp is a five-time state champion in South Carolina and a High School All-America.
?Megan is a great addition to our butterfly swimmers,? Conelly said. ?I look forward to our team atmosphere motivating her to take her swimming to another level. In dual meets, she will make our butterfly events daunting. At the conference level, she will be an individual scorer for us in both the 100 and 200 fly.?
With loss of senior All-Americans Daniel Farnham and Steven Manley after this season, the freestyle group will be looking to their incoming class to add depth to their group of returnees.
Chris Richard comes to UK known for his sprinting ability in the freestyle. Richard is a seven-time Wisconsin High School Division II State Champion in individual and relay events. Richard holds team records in the 50 and 100-yard free style events and holds two state records as part of relay teams.
?Chris is out of the same program as this year’s freshman Shane Eliason,? Conelly said. ?Chris should be a member of our sprint relays and should stand a very good chance of qualifying for the Southeastern Conference Championships in his first year here. He is very strong and we feel that once he is training in our sprint group he will produce dramatic time drops.?
Kyle Greene, from Turpin High School in Cincinnati, will also be counted on to contribute in freestyle events. The National Honor Society member is also a versatile swimmer who should contribute in the backstroke and individual medley events.
?Kyle is a great addition to our swim team and to the middle distance group in particular,? Conelly said. ?He is so versatile that he will add depth and quality to many events. He is going to be one of those swimmers who really takes off in college. He is very team oriented and will just get faster and faster over his career.?
Rounding out the men?s recruiting class is Eric McGinnis. The Ravenscroft High School senior is expected to step in quickly and be an impact freshman.
?Eric is going to make an immediate and solid impact on the team,? Conelly said. ?He will be the backbone of our relays and will be able to compete with anyone in the nation in his events. We expect him to not only be an NCAA qualifier, but also be a scorer. He is a great fit for us and will be an outstanding team member.?
