The Iowa State swimming and diving team signed five new athletes during the signing period, four swimmers and one diver.

The first swimmer comes from Auckland, New Zealand. Andie Quirke is a sprinter, and will most likely be swimming in the freestyle events. Quirke has received quite the number of medals in New Zealand too. She won seven national medals in the 2019 New Zealand Short Course Championships, as well as becoming the New Zealand Open National Champion for her age group, according to the press release. 

“Andie is one of the top swimmers for her age group in New Zealand,” said head coach Duane Sorenson in the press release. “She has tremendous potential to really be one of our all-time great sprinters here at Iowa State.”

Next up is swimmer Sydney Jackson from Temecula, California. Jackson is a distance swimmer, and in high school, she took seventh in the 800 freestyle and sixth in the 400 freestyle at the Futures Championships.

“Sydney is very much of a distance freestyler, distance 200 flyer, distance 400 IMer,” Sorenson said. “The longer the race, the better she is.”

Ashley Bengtson is a swimmer out of Normal, Illinois. Bengtson has become an IHSA state qualifier, Winter Juniors qualifier, Sectionals finalist, Illinois swimming state qualifier and Futures qualifier throughout high school.

“Ashley will probably be swimming the 100, 200 and 500 freestyle for us,” Sorenson said. “She comes from an exceptional program in Normal, Illinois and I also think she is going to really blossom in a college setting.”

The final swimmer is Alaina Breitbach, coming out of Stevens Point, Wisconsin. Breitbach is a four-time state qualifier and was on the 2018 All-State team in Wisconsin.

“Alaina is a breastroker and sprint freestyler and also can swim a good 200 IM,” Sorenson said. “Alaina comes from a very athletic family. She has a sister that’s a swimmer. Her father is the head football coach at Stevens Point. She is a fierce competitor and I think that she can also be one of our top breaststrokers of all time.

The only diver on this list is Joscelyn Buss. Buss comes right out of Ames, and while diving at Ames High School, she also dove for diving coach Jeff Warrick for the Iowa Twisters. She has lettered in varsity diving all four years of high school as well as making the All-State team for two years. 

“I have worked with her at camp and she’s on our club team,” Warrick said in the press release. “She’s just a great athlete willing to try anything we ask her to do. I think she’s going to fit in really well with our team and she’s just going to keep improving each year. We’re really glad she’s a part of our Cyclone team.”