The Pacific swim team finalized its roster depth ahead of the upcoming 2024-25 season by welcoming 14 newcomers, including four women and 10 men, to its ranks, as announced by head coach Katelyne Herrington.
“This is the largest and most diverse recruiting class we’ve had in over 5 years, being our most talented recruiting class in that time,” head coach Katelyne Herrington shared. “This class is going to have an immediate impact in the pool, paired with our very experienced returning team. This will be a standout year for us, and I am very excited to get the season started in the fall!”
Having graduated only two seniors in 2024, the women’s team reload and sharpen their sprints and mid-distance as Christina Agiomamitou, Lilliana Noriega, Whitney Wilkalis and Josie Fields are brought into the fold.
Incoming freshman Josie Fields, a Denver, Colorado native, was a four-year varsity letter winner from Denver East High School. She accrued Principal’s Honor Roll, AP Scholar and Honor Roll distinctions during her tenure. The two-time Swimmer of the Year was named to the state team all four years while also collecting all-city honors. While with the Hilltoppers, she helped guide Denver East HS to three league championships.Fields, a free sprints specialist, enters with a personal best 23.50 in the 50 free and 51.80 in the 100 free, while holding a 1:55 flat in the 200.
Another addition to the class of 2028 is freshman Christina Agiomamitou. The Nicosia, Cyprus native is a freestyle specialist across distances. She ranked first nationally from the 200 meter free to the 1500 meter free, while having also raced on the international stage. Agiomamitou holds a personal best 2:07.33 in the 200 meter free, a 4:33.21 in the 400 meter free and a 9:28.33 in the 800 meter free.
Fellow freshman, Whitney Wilkalis, a product of Moraga, California, joins the team after four years at Campolindo High School. The three-time Scholar Athlete earned the Coaches Award in 2023 while earning a spot on the DAL First Team that same season. A three-year varsity winner, Wilkalis specializes in the medley sprints with a focus on fly and breaststroke. She brings in a personal best 58.20 in the 100 fly and a 1:06.60 in the 100 breast.
Rounding out the newcomers is Burbank, California native Lilliana Noriega. The four-year varsity letter winner from John Burroughs High School spent the past two seasons at Los Angeles Valley College. Another sprinter, Noriega specializes in the 100 backstroke and free along with the 50 free. The two-time all-American earned the distinction in back-to-back seasons while being named the Athlete of the Year at LAVC. She also claimed MVP honors in 2023. She brings a personal best 23.67 in the 50 free, a 52.16 in the 100 free and 57.11 in the 100 back.
On the men’s side, the Tigers return the majority of their production having only graduated three from last season’s roster that saw a 13th place finish at the National Invitational Championships. The Tigers bring in 10 newcomers, including nine freshmen and one transfer to assist across the board from sprints to mid-distance.
Matthew Dillon hails from Sammamish, Washington and joins the Tigers after completing four years at Skyline High School. During his time with the Spartans, Dillon was a three-time varsity letter winner, while also garnering a scholar-athlete letter. A mid-distance/distance specialist, the Washington native finished third at the state meet in the 200 free with a personal best 1:42.69 and second in the 500 free with a 4:38.96. Dillon helped guide the Spartans to three top-four finishes at the state championship meet.
Fellow freshman Aidan Alvarez joins the team after four seasons at Leigh High School. A native of Los Gatos, California, Alvarez specializes in breaststroke and the individual medley. The four-time varsity letter winner made sectionals in both the 100 breast and 200 IM while earning CCS cuts all four years with the Longhorns. Alvarez brings in a personal best 59.47 in the 100 breast and a 2:08.25 in the 200 breast.
Portland, Oregon native Graham Inman bolsters the medleys and the 200 fly as part of the class of 2028. The four year varsity letter winner from Jesuit High School earned first team honors as a junior, while garnering all-American consideration as a two-time Oregon state champion. In addition to being named athletic all-state four times, Inman stood out in the classroom, earning academic all-state recognition all four years.Inman helped Jesuit HS secure a State championship this past season. He adds a personal best 50.41 in the 100 fly and 1:51.62 in the 200 medley to Pacific’s arsenal.
Local to Stockton and a graduate of nearby Saint Mary’s High School is incoming freshman Nate Rasmussen. The hometown star splits time between free and fly sprints, while also holding an edge in the mid-distance free events. He was named a CIF Sac-Joaquin section champion in back-to-back seasons, most recently claiming the 100 free as a senior, which garnered him first team honors. In 2023, he took the title in the 200 free. Rasmussen brings over personal bests in the 50 free (20.83), 100 free (44.38), 200 free (1:37.89) and 500 free (4:33.42), while holding a 50.43 in the 100 fly.
Hailing from the East Coast is Belmar, New Jersey native Dante Dentino. The incoming freshman spent the past four seasons at Manasquan High School, where he lettered all four seasons with the Warriors. The breaststroker/freestyler holds the Manasquan HS 500 free record (4:40.48) and was named the Monmouth County Champion in the event. At the Shore Conference meet, he finished runner up in both the 100 breast and 500 free. A member of the YMCA national team, Dentino holds a personal best 2:01.65 in the 200 free. At Nationals, he was named a finalist in the event. The distance specialist also clocked a 9:37.97 in the 1000 free during his tenure at Manasquan.
From across the Atlantic is Islas Baleares, Spain native Javier Lopez Guillen. During his four years at the IES Centre de Tecnificació Esportiva de les Illes Balears, Guillen spent time at the European and World junior championships. He holds four records of the Balearic Islands. The butterflyer was a national champion on ten separate occasions while racing a personal best 53.64 in the 100 meter fly and 2:02.01 in the 200 meter fly.
Incoming freshman Liam Roedling hails from Saratoga, California and brings his medley and freestyle speciality to the Tigers. He spent four seasons at Saint Francis High School where he graduated maxima cum laude. Roedling was named Saint Francis’ Outstanding Male Senior Athlete for his multiple podium places at both the WCAL and CCS championships. He raced a personal best 4:08.40 in the 400 medley and 1:41.79 in the 200 free during his tenure.
Rounding out the class of 2028 are two San Jose, California natives. Addison Newnan joins the Tigers after four seasons at Bellarmine College Preparatory, where he specialized in the free and fly sprints. The four year varsity letter winner was a CCS champion three times and brought home the team captain and most inspirational awards for his contributions. The team captain raced a personal best 21.45 in the 50 free and 47.30 in the 100 free, while clocking a 50.83 in the 100 fly.
Freddie Cumming spent four years at Valley Christian High School and specializes in breastroke. The three-time state qualifier earned the school record in the 100 breast in his sophomore to senior seasons. He earned MVP and most improved honors during his time with the Warriors. He raced a personal best 55.70 in the 100 breast and 2:04.59 in the 200 breast.
Completing the newest class is incoming junior Mattia Giurgevich, who joins the Tigers by way of Lindenwood University. The breaststroker was named to the All-Summit League First Team, clocking a personal best 53.20 in the 100 breast at the Summit League Championships this past season. The Monza and Brianza, Italy native finished second in the 100 breaststroke. Giurgevich bolsters the medleys as well, bringing in a personal best 1:48.90 in the 200 IM and a 23.60 breast split.
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Read the full story on SwimSwam: Pacific Swimming Adds Fourteen Newcomers Ahead of 2024-2025 Campaign