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Five Swimmers Sign to CSU

Five Swimmers Sign to CSU
Posted: May 12, 2014

Cleveland, Ohio- The Cleveland State swimming and diving team signed five swimmers to National Letters of Intent to attend Cleveland State in the fall 2014-15 season.

Joining the Vikings will be Jamie VanDewerker, Kyle Fitzgerald, Drew Krueger, Patrick Tippen, and Grant Wethington.  In addition, Philipp Sikatzki will join the program after spending last season at Ashland.

VanDewerker joins the Vikings from Beavercreek H.S. and will compete in the 100 free, 200 free, and 100 back.  VanDewerker placed in both the 100 free and 100 backstroke events at the Ohio High School State Championships as a senior and will be majoring in Pre-physical therapy. 

Fitzgerald signs on as a Viking from Victor J. Andrew High School in Tinley Park, Illinois.  He swims for Great Illinois Swimmers Club team and specializes in the 100 and 200 freestyle events.  He was a four-time all conference selection, three-time state qualifier, and was a top six finisher in both the 100 and 200 freestyle events at the Illinois High School State Championships.  Fitzgerald will be majoring in economics. 

Krueger comes to Cleveland State from Oakwood High School in Dayton, Ohio.  Kreuger swims for the Countryside Torpedoes YMCA and swims the 100 and 200 butterfly, along with the 200 freestyle events and was a qualifier at the Ohio High School State Championships in 2013 and 2014.  Kreuger, who will be majoring in business management, has a brother who swims at Wright State.

Tippen comes to Cleveland State from Solon H.S. where he swam for the Solon Stars under head coach Mike Davidson, a former Viking swimmer.  Tippen helped the IM relay squad to a third place finish last year and helped Solon to a fourth place finish at the state championship.  Tippen placed 20th in the nation at Junior Nationals in Florida this past spring.  Tippen, who specializes in the sprint freestyle events and the 100 and 200 breastroke events, will be majoring in criminology.

Wethington comes to Cleveland State from Anderson High School in Cincinnati, Ohio.  Wethington, who swims for the ME Lyons Barracudas, will compete in the 100 and 200 butterfly and the 500 freestyle for the Vikings.  He qualified for the Ohio High School State Championship the past two years and will be majoring in biology.

Sikatzki, who is from Markranstaedt, Saxony, Germany, swam at Ashland University last year and competed in the 100 fly, 100 back, 50 free, and will also look to swim in the 200 IM, 100 free, and 200 back.  He swam at the NCAA Division II Nationals, placing fourth in the 100 fly and fifth in the 100 back as a freshman last year.  He also earned three conference titles, was freshman of the year, and athlete of the year at the GLIAC Conference Championships.  New head CSU swim coach Paul Graham coached him last season before being hired in the spring.