The Omaha swimming & diving program announced the addition of 11 student-athletes to the Maverick program on Monday.
Mavericks Ink 11 for 2021-2022
Nov 23, 2020 | Women's Swimming & Diving
OMAHA, Neb. – Head swimming and diving coach Todd Samland announced the addition of 11 student-athletes to the Maverick program for 2021-22 on Monday.
"This has been a different process this year," said Samland. "We had more phone calls, which led us to having more genuine conversations with the athletes. This class asked a variety of questions beyond the typical recruiting talk. These genuine conversations helped us find the kind of people who gravitate to our values and the essence of our team. I am excited to have this group join our program because of their dedication in the classroom and pool. Through our zoom talks, this group had had an opportunity to chat as a group which helps them learn about each other and create connections and relationships before stepping on campus."
Holly Bernardin (Rosemount, Minn.)
Bernardin is two-year letterwinner at Rosemount High School. She was named most valuable diver and placed sixth at the MSHSL Sections in her sophomore season. As a junior, Bernardin qualified for state and finished fourth at the MSHSL Sections while voted most valuable diver for the second season in a row. She competed at the club level with Minnesota Diving Academy.
Payton Easley (Lee's Summit, Mo.)
Easley is a three-year letterwinner in swimming at Lee's Summit West High School. She was a conference finalist and state qualifier as a freshman while setting the school record in 200 medley relay. Easley broke the school record in the 50 free and 100 free as a conference champion and all-state honoree her sophomore year. As a junior, she was conference champion in the 50 free, 100 free, 200 medley relay and 200 free relay while named all-state in 50 free, 100 free and 200 free relay. Easley competed with the Empire KC Swim Club team and placed in the Missouri Valley LCM and Short Course Championships and competed in the 2019 Region VIII Summer Sectionals.
Annika Harthoorn (Norfolk, Neb.)
Harthoorn lettered in cross country, swimming and track at Norfolk High School. She placed third at state in the 100 fly and set school records in the 100 fly and 100 back as a freshman. Harthoorn won the state title as a sophomore in the 100 fly and placed fourth at state in the 100 back. As a junior, she finished fourth in the 100 fly and 100 back at state while setting school records in the 200 medley relay and 400 free relay.
Lydia Johnston (Des Moines, Iowa)
Johnson is a three-year letterwinner in swimming at Theodore Roosevelt High School. She was named freshman MVP and team MVP in her sophomore and junior seasons. Johnson qualified for state in three years while setting school records in the 200 IM and 500 free. Swimming with the Dowling Catholic Riptide Club team, she qualified for the USA Swimming Sectionals.
Sadie Khalil (Gilbert, Ariz.)
A four-year letterwinner at Highland High School, Khalil was an automatic state qualifier and named Rookie of the Year as a freshman. She helped set school records in the 200 medley relay, 200 free relay and 400 free relay. Khalil led the Hawks to an undefeated record in dual meets during her sophomore and junior campaigns. As a senior, she was a state qualifier in the 200 IM and 100 breast. Khalil finished in the top-16 at state in the 100 breast, 200 breast, 100 fly, 200 fly, 200 IM and 400 IM while swimming with the Mesa Aquatics Club.
Payton Krug (Lawrence, Kan.)
Krug is a letterwinner in swimming at Free State High School. As a freshman, she placed fourth in the 100 breast and 200 IM at State while earning first-team all-state and all-league honors. Krug finished fourth in 100 breast and fifth in 200 IM at state as a sophomore and was named second-team all-state and first-team all-league.
Heidi Lenarz (Sartell, Minn.)
Lenarz is a four-year letterwinner in swimming at Sartell High School. She is a four-time all-conference selection and three-time all-state honoree in her career. Lenarz placed eighth in the 200 IM and 12th in 500 free at state as a sophomore and fifth in the 200 IM and sixth in the 500 free as a junior. She placed 11th in the 400 IM and 14th in the 200 IM at the Minnesota LCM State meet while swimming with Central Minnesota Aquatics.
Hailey Matthews (Englewood, Colo.)
Matthews is a two-year letterwinner in swimming at Grandview High School. She set a school record in the 100 back and 200 medley relay as a sophomore. As a junior, Matthews was named most valuable swimmer after setting school records in the 100 back and 200 free and tabbed league champion in the 500 free. She is a member of the highest level group while competing with Denver Swim Academy.
Lilly Stafford (Loch Lloyd, Mo.)
As a sophomore, Stafford set school records in the 100 back, 200 IM, 500 free and 200 medley relay at Saint Teresa's Academy. She placed fourth in the 100 back and 13th in the 200 IM at the state championships in her sophomore season. While a member of the Empire KC Swim Club, Stafford was a Region VIII Sectionals Finals qualifier, a NCSA qualifier and Futures qualifier.
Gracie Streblow (Valders, Wis.)
A four-year letterwinner at Valders High School, Streblow was conference champion in the 50 free, 100 back, 200 free relay and 200 medley relay as a freshman. She captured the conference title in the 200 free, 100 back and 400 free relay as a sophomore and junior. Streblow is a three-time Wisconsin Division I state qualifier in the 100 back while setting 10 team records over her prep career. She was a member of the Ozaukee Aquatics State and National team for four years while qualifying for NCSA's in the 100 back and 200 back.
Olivia Wassink (Sioux Falls, S.D.)
Wassink competed in swim at Sioux Falls Christian. As a freshman, she set a state meet record while qualifying for sectionals. She was crowned state champion and qualified for futures and sectionals in her sophomore season.
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"This has been a different process this year," said Samland. "We had more phone calls, which led us to having more genuine conversations with the athletes. This class asked a variety of questions beyond the typical recruiting talk. These genuine conversations helped us find the kind of people who gravitate to our values and the essence of our team. I am excited to have this group join our program because of their dedication in the classroom and pool. Through our zoom talks, this group had had an opportunity to chat as a group which helps them learn about each other and create connections and relationships before stepping on campus."
Holly Bernardin (Rosemount, Minn.)
Bernardin is two-year letterwinner at Rosemount High School. She was named most valuable diver and placed sixth at the MSHSL Sections in her sophomore season. As a junior, Bernardin qualified for state and finished fourth at the MSHSL Sections while voted most valuable diver for the second season in a row. She competed at the club level with Minnesota Diving Academy.
Payton Easley (Lee's Summit, Mo.)
Easley is a three-year letterwinner in swimming at Lee's Summit West High School. She was a conference finalist and state qualifier as a freshman while setting the school record in 200 medley relay. Easley broke the school record in the 50 free and 100 free as a conference champion and all-state honoree her sophomore year. As a junior, she was conference champion in the 50 free, 100 free, 200 medley relay and 200 free relay while named all-state in 50 free, 100 free and 200 free relay. Easley competed with the Empire KC Swim Club team and placed in the Missouri Valley LCM and Short Course Championships and competed in the 2019 Region VIII Summer Sectionals.
Annika Harthoorn (Norfolk, Neb.)
Harthoorn lettered in cross country, swimming and track at Norfolk High School. She placed third at state in the 100 fly and set school records in the 100 fly and 100 back as a freshman. Harthoorn won the state title as a sophomore in the 100 fly and placed fourth at state in the 100 back. As a junior, she finished fourth in the 100 fly and 100 back at state while setting school records in the 200 medley relay and 400 free relay.
Lydia Johnston (Des Moines, Iowa)
Johnson is a three-year letterwinner in swimming at Theodore Roosevelt High School. She was named freshman MVP and team MVP in her sophomore and junior seasons. Johnson qualified for state in three years while setting school records in the 200 IM and 500 free. Swimming with the Dowling Catholic Riptide Club team, she qualified for the USA Swimming Sectionals.
Sadie Khalil (Gilbert, Ariz.)
A four-year letterwinner at Highland High School, Khalil was an automatic state qualifier and named Rookie of the Year as a freshman. She helped set school records in the 200 medley relay, 200 free relay and 400 free relay. Khalil led the Hawks to an undefeated record in dual meets during her sophomore and junior campaigns. As a senior, she was a state qualifier in the 200 IM and 100 breast. Khalil finished in the top-16 at state in the 100 breast, 200 breast, 100 fly, 200 fly, 200 IM and 400 IM while swimming with the Mesa Aquatics Club.
Payton Krug (Lawrence, Kan.)
Krug is a letterwinner in swimming at Free State High School. As a freshman, she placed fourth in the 100 breast and 200 IM at State while earning first-team all-state and all-league honors. Krug finished fourth in 100 breast and fifth in 200 IM at state as a sophomore and was named second-team all-state and first-team all-league.
Heidi Lenarz (Sartell, Minn.)
Lenarz is a four-year letterwinner in swimming at Sartell High School. She is a four-time all-conference selection and three-time all-state honoree in her career. Lenarz placed eighth in the 200 IM and 12th in 500 free at state as a sophomore and fifth in the 200 IM and sixth in the 500 free as a junior. She placed 11th in the 400 IM and 14th in the 200 IM at the Minnesota LCM State meet while swimming with Central Minnesota Aquatics.
Hailey Matthews (Englewood, Colo.)
Matthews is a two-year letterwinner in swimming at Grandview High School. She set a school record in the 100 back and 200 medley relay as a sophomore. As a junior, Matthews was named most valuable swimmer after setting school records in the 100 back and 200 free and tabbed league champion in the 500 free. She is a member of the highest level group while competing with Denver Swim Academy.
Lilly Stafford (Loch Lloyd, Mo.)
As a sophomore, Stafford set school records in the 100 back, 200 IM, 500 free and 200 medley relay at Saint Teresa's Academy. She placed fourth in the 100 back and 13th in the 200 IM at the state championships in her sophomore season. While a member of the Empire KC Swim Club, Stafford was a Region VIII Sectionals Finals qualifier, a NCSA qualifier and Futures qualifier.
Gracie Streblow (Valders, Wis.)
A four-year letterwinner at Valders High School, Streblow was conference champion in the 50 free, 100 back, 200 free relay and 200 medley relay as a freshman. She captured the conference title in the 200 free, 100 back and 400 free relay as a sophomore and junior. Streblow is a three-time Wisconsin Division I state qualifier in the 100 back while setting 10 team records over her prep career. She was a member of the Ozaukee Aquatics State and National team for four years while qualifying for NCSA's in the 100 back and 200 back.
Olivia Wassink (Sioux Falls, S.D.)
Wassink competed in swim at Sioux Falls Christian. As a freshman, she set a state meet record while qualifying for sectionals. She was crowned state champion and qualified for futures and sectionals in her sophomore season.
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