FLAGSTAFF, Ariz. – Faced with filling the void to be left by this year's senior class, the Northern Arizona swimming & diving team added five incoming freshmen for the 2018-19 season during the fall signing period. The Lumberjacks' fall class includes four swimmers and one diver as announced by head coach
Andy Johns on Tuesday.
"They're all outstanding students and they are all on the rise," Johns said. "We have really good people to replace, and that's what makes the beginning of this class important. This is a good start, but we definitely have some work to do in the spring to fill out this class given who will be trying to replace."
The Lumberjacks added Natalie Hart (Chandler, Ariz.), Abbie Nelson (Fountain Valley, Calif.), Keeley Vardeman (Austin, Texas) and Astrid Villeda (Las Vegas, Nev.) on the swimming side. Meanwhile, NAU inked a local diver from Flagstaff in Alyssa Jones.
Hart is a three-time state qualifier out of Hamilton High School where she most recently finished seventh in the 100 breaststroke at the 2017 Arizona State Division I Championships. She earned two state medals during her career, earning silver in the 200 freestyle relay in 2016 and bronze in the 200 medley relay earlier this month. Hart, a member of Arizona Aquatic Club, holds her club records in the 100 and 200 breaststrokes.
"Natalie is really excited about being at NAU," Johns said. "She's a captain on her high school team and she's got some development especially at the 200 level, but she's a really hard worker. She's got a lot of potential."
Nelson owns top 10 all-time times at Fountain Valley High School in the 50 freestyle and 100 breaststroke while helping her team win the Sunset League in 2017. At last spring's Sunset League Championships, she placed fourth in the 50 free and fifth in the 100 breast before qualifying for the CIF Championships in both events. Nelson also swims with Golden West Swim Club.
"Abbie is a breaststroker and sprint freestyler who just posted best times at last year's CIF meet," Johns said. "We think she's another one who has a lot of potential. She's another Southern California product who we are excited to have on our team."
Vardeman shined at the South Texas Age Group Championship in March, placing first in the 100 and 200 butterfly and 200 and 400 individual medley. Swimming for Austin Swim Club, Vardeman also placed second in the 50 freestyle at the meet before competing throughout the summer on long course.
"Keeley got on our radar late in the process, but she's an up and coming butterflier and she can do some other things," Johns said. "Her 200 butterfly is her best event. She swam for a former Olympian in Brendan Hansen and she's improved so much. She's going to help us continue the great butterfly tradition we've had."
Villeda is NAU's last incoming swimmer and is coming off a pair of individual medalist performances at the Nevada 4A State Championships. Last season, Villeda was the runner-up in the 500 freestyle in addition to placing third in the 200 freestyle at Rancho High School. Also swimming for Desert Storm Swimming, she holds the school records in the 200 and 500 free plus the 100 breaststroke and 200 individual medley.
"Astrid is going to be solid for us in the distance events," Johns said. "She also has some versatility to swim the 400 IM too. We needed someone like her coming in. She swam for Desert Storm and that's a good club team that hopefully we can get into more in the future."
Jones will remain in Flagstaff and join the NAU program as the Lumberjacks' only diver in the class. While did she not compete at Coconino High School due to the absence of a team, Jones has familiarity with diving coach
Nikki Huffman as a six-year member of the Northern Arizona Divers club team. Jones placed 25th on both 1-meter and 3-meter at the 2017 USA Diving Zone F Championships, and also qualified for the AAU National Championships.
"She had a lot of injuries in gymnastics, but over the last two years Alyssa has been able to train," Huffman said. "She's made a lot of regional and zone events for USA Diving. She's done some great things and she's going be a great fit. I'm excited to have her on the team."
