EVANSVILLE, Ind. – University of Southern Indiana Women's Swimming & Diving has announced its competitors for the inaugural season in 2022-23. The Screaming Eagles will be competing in the Summit League at NCAA Division I as USI makes the transition from Division II.
"We are excited about our inaugural women's class and believe it will be a great first step for our swimming and diving program," says head coach
Cameron Kainer. "We've got great versatility for a first-year program, and we are looking forward to seeing where the bar will begin and continue to be raised throughout the season. This is an outstanding first class to help us start the culture and build upon for years to come."
Jordan Ambrose | Freestyle | Mt. Vernon, Ind.
Ambrose comes to USI as a junior after taking two years off from swimming. The Reitz High School product (Evansville, Indiana) nabbed four top three finishes in conference and sectional finals combined. She also was named All-City in swimming (2017, 2018, 2020) and cross country (2016). Ambrose competed for the Newburgh Sea Creature Elite swim club. She is currently training to compete in the Fall 2022 Ironman Triathlon in Hawaii.
Elizabeth Busby | Butterfly/Freestyle/IM | Madison, Ala.
Busby begins her collegiate career after four years at James Clemens High School (Madison, Alabama). Busby lettered three times in swimming and was a nine-time Alabama High School Athletic Association finalist. She also swam for Madison Swimming Association.
Sarah-Catherine Dawson | Butterfly/IM | Prospect, Ken.
The North Oldham High School product (Goshen, Kentucky) comes to USI after four years of swimming. Dawson earned Academic All-State first-team honors in all four years and was a part of the 2020 Region Six 100 butterfly runner-up team. She competed for the Triton Swimming club team.
Emma Ettensohn | Freestyle | Tell City, Ind.
Ettensohn comes to USI from Tell City High School (Tell City, Indiana) after four successful years competing in four different sports (soccer, swimming, track, volleyball). She earned soccer and swimming team MVP and was a part of the three-time conference championship team for swimming (2019, 2020, 2022).
Hannah Gardner | Breaststroke | Bowling Green, Ken.
The South Warren High School product (Bowling Green, Kentucky) totaled eight athletic letters in four years in swimming and cross country. Gardner earned Kentucky High School Athletic Association Academic All-State honors in all fours years and was named All-Region (2021, 2022). The 4th Region Athletic Directors Association Girls Swimming & Diving 2022 Athlete of the Year, Gardner was a state qualifier during all four years for her multiple relay teams and was region champion in her last two seasons. She led her team to a 2021 regional championship and competed for RACE Aquatics Swim Club.
Makana Goss | Backstroke | Noblesville, Ind.
Goss travels to USI after four seasons with Hamilton Southeastern High School (Fishers, Indiana). She was a part of the third-place state team in 2022 and sectional runner-up group in 2021 and 2022. Goss also competed for Southeastern Swim Club.
Darby Haire | Sprint | Owensboro, Ken.
A current USI sophomore out of Owensboro High School (Owensboro, Kentucky), Haire joins the newly added swimming & diving program. Haire tallied five athletic letters between soccer and swimming and was named All-Region in 2019. At USI, she has been involved with Student Ambassador Organization and the Honors Program.
Abigail Hendren | Backstroke/IM/Freestyle | Millington, Tenn.
The Millington Central High School product (Millington, Tennessee) comes to USI after four years competing in swimming. Hendren was named salutatorian of her graduating class and competed for Bartlett Xtreme Swim Team. She qualified for the 2022 Tennessee State Championships in the 200 freestyle and 100 backstroke.
Katrin Hilgarth | Freestyle/Backstroke | Indianapolis, Ind.
Hilgarth comes to USI from Avon High School (Indianapolis, Indiana) with the intent of majoring in biology. She lettered four times in swimming and was team captain her senior year. Hilgarth is a 2022 sectional champion and state qualifier in the 100 backstroke and a 2021 Hendricks County champion in the 100-yard backstroke. She led her team to a state qualifying time in the 200-yard medley (2020, 2021, 2022) and free (2021, 2022) relays. Hilgarth also competed for Avon Community Swim Team.
Isabella Lindberg | Breaststroke | Omaha, Neb.
The four-time letter winner from Millard North High School (Omaha, Nebraska) comes to USI after four state qualifying times. Lindberg was named team captain in her junior and senior seasons and broke the school record at her previous high school (Gretna High School) in the 200-medley relay. She also competed for Greater Omaha Aquatic Leopard Sharks club team.
Paige Maddox | Distance/Freestyle | Columbus, Ind.
Maddox comes to USI after four season with Columbus North High School (Columbus, Indiana). Maddox is a sectional finalist in the Columbus North regional in the 200 and 500 Freestyle as well as the 400 free relay. She placed fifth in the 200 freestyle and third in the 500 freestyle at sectionals.
Emily McIntosh | Freestyle/Breaststroke | Huntertown, Ind.
The Carroll High School product (Fort Wayne, Indiana) comes to USI with a sectional championship (2022). She also swam for the Fort Wayne club team.
Brooke Meek | Freestyle | Columbus, Ind.
The freestyler out of Columbus North High School (Columbus, Indiana) also swam for Donner Swim Club. Meek is a sectional finalist in the Columbus North regional in the 100 and 200 freestyle as well as the 200 and 400 free relay. She placed sixth in the 200 freestyle and seventh in the 100 freestyle at sectionals.
Suzanna "Paige" Neal | Sprint | Owensboro, Ken.
The Owensboro High School product (Owensboro, Kentucky) comes to USI after a successful four-year career. In 2020, Neal captured fourth in the 200-freestyle relay, ninth in the 100 freestyle, and 10th in the 50 freestyle. Neal secured two top-10 finishes in the 2022 state championships, finishing ninth in the 50 freestyle and 10th in the 100 freestyle. Neal went to the swimming state championships all five years of high school, placing in the top-10 in four years.
Anastacia Phipps | Freestyle | Ocala, Fla.
Phipps comes to USI from Ocala High School (Ocala, Florida) after lettering four times in swimming. The National Honor Society member has qualified for regionals in all four years of high school. Phipps also swam for Central Florida Marlins club and Florida Fast.
Heidi Rhodenbaugh | Breaststroke/IM | Lebanon, Ohio
The Lebanon High School product (Lebanon, Ohio) will attend USI after four years of high school swimming. Rhodenbaugh has claimed Academic All-Ohio and Academic All-Conference. She also swam for Countryside YMCA Torpedoes Swim Team.
Mattilynn Smith | Distance/Freestyle | Morgantown, Ken.
Smith comes to USI from Butler County High School (Morgantown, Kentucky) after lettering six times in swimming and four times between track and cross country. She was named All-Region in all four years as well as Academic All-State. She was the regional champion in the 200 freestyle and 500 freestyle in 2022. Smith also was named Regional Female Outstanding Swimmer of the Year in 2022. Smith also swam for Southern Kentucky Swim Club in Bowling Green, Kentucky, where she finished in the top-10 at the state level in the 1,000 and 1,650.
Joey Testa | Butterfly | North Huntingdon, Pa.
The North Huntingdon, Pennsylvania native will join the inaugural roster in the butterfly. Testa swam for three years as a product of Norwin High School (North Huntingdon, Pennsylvania) earning accolades three WPIAL individual qualifications and the school record holder for the 200-freestyle relay. She also swam for Norwin Aqua Club.
Autumn Turley | Diver | Hobart, Ind.
The first-year collegiate diver out of Hobart High School (Hobart, Indiana) comes to USI after accumulating six athletic letters across four different sports (cross country, track & field, diving, and golf). Turley earned an All-Conference honorable mention for pole vault and was a part of the Hobart Diving Club.
Lillian Tyler | Freestyle | Leesburg, Ind.
The Wawasee High School product (Syracuse, Indiana) lettered three times as a swimming, cross country, and track athlete. Tyler was a scholar athlete all four years and was named first-team All-Conference (2021, 2022) for swimming in back-to-back seasons. She was a state consolation finalist swimmer on the 400-freestyle relay in 2022. She also swam for Warrior Swim Club (2019-2022) and PRO Swim Club (2008-2018). Tyler is a four-year qualifier for the state championship meet.
Erica Williamson | Breaststroke/IM/Backstroke | Knoxville, Tenn.
Williamson comes from Bearden High School (Knoxville, Tennessee) after lettering in swimming four times. The multi-swimmer also swam for Tennessee Aquatics. Williamson was most recently a 2022 Tennessee State Championships qualifier in the 200-medley relay, 200 IM, 100 breaststroke and 400 free relay.
The 2022-23 USI Women's Swimming & Diving schedule will be released at a later date.
