April 29, 2003

MILWAUKEE - Four student-athletes have signed National Letters of Intent to swim at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, head coach Dave Clark announced today. Swimmers Lindsay Caldwell of West Bend, Wis., and Bridget Fargen of Madison, Wis., and divers Jackie Schani of Pleasant Prairie, Wis., and Crystal Szymanski of Hales Corners, Wis., will join the women's team in the fall of 2003.

Caldwell was named Swimmer of the Year in the Little 10 Conference in each of her four seasons in high school. Last fall, she finished second in the 50 freestyle and 100 breaststroke at the Division I state meet, and was a finalist for state swimmer of the year. In all, she placed in the top ten at the state meet seven times, including two third-place finishes. She was also named to the all-state team three times and was a four-year team most valuable performer. Caldwell also received All-American consideration three times at West Bend West High School. She will compete at UWM with her sister Sarah, who will be a senior for the Panthers next fall.

"Lindsay is an exceptional student-athlete," UWM head coach Dave Clark said. "Her swimming talent will allow her to immediately impact not only our relays, but the top end of the Horizon League as well."

Fargen joins the Panthers after a four-year career at LaFollette High School in Madison, where she was a three-time state qualifier. She finished as high as 13th in the 100 freestyle in 2002, while also qualifying for state as part of four relay teams. She was named co-captain her senior year, and also took home most valuable performer honors for the Lancers. She was also named a USA Swimming Academic All-American.

"Bridget is a great student-athlete," Clark said. "Her talent and work ethic should allow her to impact our relays immediately as well as adding to the depth of our sprint team."

Schani, who attended Kenosha Tremper High School, and Crystal Szymanski, from Whitnall High School, will help replace a diving squad that will lose two seniors next fall. Schani finished sixth in the diving championships last fall, her highest finish in three years qualifying for the state meet. She also won the most valuable performer award at Tremper.

"Jackie is a great athlete," Clark said. "She will have 11 high school letters in three different sports when she's done. With a concentration on diving, she should only get better and better."

Szymanski is a two-time state champion in diving in Division 2, collecting titles her junior and senior seasons. She qualified for state her first two years as well, finishing third as a freshman and fourth as a sophomore. Szymanski is a two-time member of the all-area swim team, along with twice being a member of the Woodland Conference Championship team at Whitnall. She also finished 12th on 1m at the Junior National Zone C Championships and was third on 1m and fifth on 3m at the YMCA National Championships.

"As a two-time state champion and YMCA national finalist, Crystal will be a contender in our league immediately," Clark said.

Today's signings bring the total number of recruits to eight women for the 2003 season. Also joining the women's team next fall will be Emily Duesler, Kathryn Green, Susan Harmsen and Heather Sawatzki, each of whom signed during the early signing period in November.

The University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee women's swimming and diving team finished third at the Horizon League Championships, held on Feb. 26-Mar. 1 in Cleveland, Ohio. The Panthers, winners of the 2001 Midwestern Collegiate Conference (now Horizon League) title, also excel in the classroom, having been named Academic All-America as a team for 28 consecutive semesters by the Collegiate Swim Coaches Association of America.