Samland Announces Inaugural Men's Swimming & Diving Class

The class is made up of 21 swimmers and three divers.

Samland Announces Inaugural Men's Swimming & Diving Class

Jul 12, 2021 | Men's Swimming & Diving

2020-21 Men's Swimming & Diving Roster

OMAHA, Neb. – Head swimming & diving coach Todd Samland has announced the inaugural men's recruiting class. The 2021-22 roster is made up of 24 members, including 21 swimmers and three divers.

Omaha athletics announced the addition of the men's program in December 2020.

"Coach Bryce, Coach Eric, and Coach Jess have done an outstanding job recruiting for Omaha," said Samland. "In just six months they have been able to put together a squad size of 24 team members. We will arrive at the Conference Championships with a full roster.

"This roster is peppered with some great talent with eight swimmers being able to score in the top-eight at previous conference championship meets. Our depth is also starting to take shape with another six swimmers being able to score top-16 at previous conference championship meets.

"The goal now is to challenge our guys to have 10 top-eight and nine top-16 swimmers. All three of our divers will be able to place in the top-16, so the goal is to break into the top-eight."

The program will kick off its inaugural season this fall.

2021-22 Inaugural Recruiting Class
Luke Asbury (Wildomar, Calif.)
Asbury is a letterwinner out of Elsinore in California. He set personal bests in the 500-Free (4:38.09), 1000-Free (10:03.05), 1650-Free (16:37.11), 100-Back (53.06), and 200-Back (2:00.49). He competed in two Iron Mans in 2017 and 2018. Asbury was an Ivy League Champ in 100-Back, 200-Back, 200-Medley Relay, the Raincross Conference Champ in 100-Free and 400-Free Relay, the Sunbelt League Champ in 100-Back, and the CIF 500-Free Finalist in 2018. He earned Presidential Honor Roll for Academic Excellence honors. He was the 2020-21 Student of the Month. Asbury was also the Boy's State Representative.

Alex Becker (Lincoln, Neb.)
Becker joins Omaha after swimming for Pius X high school as a four-year letterwinner and the Lincoln Select Swim Club. Becker has swum career-best times in the 100-Free (10:05.82), 200-Free (1:50.47), 500-Free (4:48.84), 1650-Free (16.58.20), 200-IM (2:01.60), 400-IM (4:17.26), 200-Fly (2:03.56), 200-Breast (2:25.34), and the 200-Back (2:19.63). Becker was named an Academic All-American Second Team member for Midwestern Swimming and NCPA Academic All-State. Becker was a team captain his junior and senior seasons and named the Most Dedicated Swimmer in his junior year.

Ian Blackstock (East China, Mich.)
Blackstock was the first signee for the men's swimming and diving program in its inaugural season. He was a three sport athlete at Marine City participating in cross country, swimming & diving, and baseball. As a diver, Blackstock was a two-time Macomb Area Conference All-Academic Team member. He posted career-high scores in the 1-meter dive (11 dives) with a score of 455.16 and the 1-meter (6 dives) with a score of 318.10. In his freshman season, Blackstock ranked 15^th in the state, first in the region, was named All-State, All-Region, and All-Conference, and broke both high school records in the 1-meter six and 11 dives. He ranked sixth in the state as a sophomore and was named All-State, All-Region, and All-Conference. Blackstock was named team captain as a junior and senior.

Brandon Cheong (Gainesville, Fla.)
Cheong is a sophomore transfer out of Youngstown State. While at Youngstown, Cheong set school records in the 100-Breast (58.75) and 200-Breast (2:11.20). He placed 16^th in the 100-Breast at the Horizon League Championships. Before his two-year stint with Youngstown, Cheong swam at Buchholz High School. In his junior season, Cheong placed seventh in the 100-Breast and 16^th in the 50-Free. He then placed 12^th in the 100-Breast and 14^th in the 50-Free his senior season. In addition to his collegiate and high school career, Cheong swam for the Gator Swim Club. He qualified for the Speedo Winter Junior Championships and set the club record in the 100-Breast. Cheong competed for the Aruba National Team. In the 2017 Carifta Swimming Championship, he placed second in the 50-Breast and sixth in the 100-Breast. In the 2017 CCCAN Swimming Championship, he picked up second place honors in the 50-Breast and eighth place honors in the 100-Breast.

Elijah Clements (Newberg, Ore.)
Clements is a two-year transfer out of Grand Canyon. He helped a 200-Medley Relay team to a fifth place finish at the WAC Championships his freshman year. In his freshman season, he finished second in the 100-Fly and third in the 200-Free Relay and 200-Medley Relay vs. BYU. Prior to Grand Canyon, Clements swam for Horizon Christian. He holds the 6A State record in the 200-Free Relay. He was named All-State. Clements was top-10 in the nation for the 400-Medley Relay. Clements also swam for Albany Aquatics Association. He holds career best times in the 50-Free (21.04), 100-Free (45.90), 100-Fly (48.14), and 200-Fly (1:51.90).

Leo Diaz (Omaha, Neb.)
Diaz is a four-year letterwinner from Central High School. He qualified for state all four seasons. Diaz set personal bests in the 50-Free (21.91), 100-Free (49.79), and 100-Fly (54.60). He helped set the State swimming record in the 400-Free Relay. He also swam for the Omaha Swim Federation under Drew Butler for the last six years.

Isaac Fletcher (Lethbridge, Canada)
Fletcher attended Lethbridge Collegiate Institute and swam for the Lethbridge Amateur Swim Club under Peter Schori. He was a 2020 Canadian Olympic Swim Trails Qualifier. Fletcher is also a nine-time Canadian Junior National Championship A-Finalist and a two-time Canadian Western Championship Medalist. Academically, Fletcher was the Valedictorian and the President of the National Honors Society.

David Goodwin (Omaha, Neb.)
Goodwin was a three sport athlete at Westside High School competing for the football, diving, and baseball teams. He was a two-time captain of the diving team. Goodwin posted a career-best score of 363.75 in the 1-meter dive. He also placed seventh in state. Goodwin was Class President, an Athletic Scholar, Academic All-State, a two-time Metropolitan Conference All-Academic selection, and a National Honors Society member.

Owen Hoak (Sioux City, Iowa)
Hoak was a three-sport athlete in at Sioux City East High School participating in cross county, swimming, and track. Hoak also participates in triathlons having won various age-group wins. He set personal records in the 50-Free (22.00), 100-Free (48.33), 200-Free (1:15.76, 500-Free (5:09.68), 100-Back (58.44), and 200-IM (2:09.42). Hoak was named captain of the swim team his junior and senior years. He has Iowa State swimming medals in the 200-Medley Relay (8^th), 400-Free Relay (8^th), and 200-Free Relay (10^th). He has multiple Missouri River Conference Academic Conference Awards in cross country, swimming, and track.

Kody Hollingsworth (Omaha, Neb.)
Hollingsworth is out of Burke in Omaha, Nebraska. He set personal bests in the 50-Free (20.8), 100-Free (45.71), and 100-Back (49.45) during his high school tenure. Hollingsworth also swam for Tom Beck at GOAL swim club.

Hadley Keinath (Dundee, Mich.)
Keinath is a three-sport athlete competing in cross country, swimming and track. He set personal bests in the 100-Free (46.81), 100-Back (54.96), and 200-Free (1:48.78). Keinath was named All-State in the 100-Back and 200-Free and qualified for state all four years at Dundee Community. He was named Swimmer of the Meet at the area championship. Keinath was also a member of the National Honors Society and received the LCAA Scholar Athlete Excellence Award.

Alec Kelsey (Washington, Neb.)
Kelsey is a three-sport athlete out of Ralston High School. In addition to swimming, Kelsey competed in cross country and track & field. Kelsey set a personal best time of 59.35 in the 100-Breast. He picked up All-Conference honors and was named to the Swim Omaha sectional team. In addition to his athletic success, Kelsey earned honor roll accolades and earned his Eagle Scout Award.

Logan Kempf (Lincoln, Neb.)
Kempf is a freshman transfer out of Lincoln and will compete for the Mavericks after wrapping up his high school career at Lincoln Prius X in 2020. Kempf swims the 50-Free, 100-Free, and 200-Free. His personal best times include a 21.54 50-Free, a 47.85 100-Free, and a 1:48.18 200-Free. Kempf was named an Academic All-State honoree and earned the Distinguished Scholar President's Education Award for Outstanding Academic Excellence.

Ryan Korthals (Forest City, Iowa)
Korthals was a three-sport athlete at Forest City Community High School competing in cross country, swimming, and track. He also swam for the North Iowa Splash. Korthals set personal bests in the 100-Breast (1:01.09), the 100-Fly (54.44), and the 50-Free (21.44). At state, Korthals placed 14^th in the 100-Breast and 25^th in the 100-Fly. In 2020, he was the Iowa YMCA State Champion in the 200-Breast.

Caleb Miller (Papillion, Neb.)
Miller is a transfer from Midland University where he swam for two seasons. He was named a 2020-21 NAIA All-American and was a 2020-21 All-KCAC First Team selection. While at Midland, Miller was named the 2020-21 Male MVP. He also set personal bests in the 200-Free (1:41.16) and the 400-IM (4:06.05). Prior to Midland, Miller swam at Bellevue West. He was an Academic All-American during his time there, and he finished fourth at state.

Pharis Musleh (Humble, Texas)
Mushleh swam for Atascocita High School and South Texas Aquatics. He set personal bests in the 200-Free (1:42.31), 500-Free (4:36.32), 1650-Free (16:04.61), 100-Fly (52.13), and 200-Fly (1:54.29). He was named a 2021 All-American in the 500-Free. He is the AHS varsity record holder in the 500-Free, 400-Free Relay, 200-Medley Relay. He was also named a 2020-21 Outstanding Varsity Swimmer.

Drake Nielsen (Omaha, Neb.)
Nielsen joins the Mavericks after swimming for Riley Lebbert at Omaha Burke High School. He also participated in cross country and track in his tenure at Omaha Burke. Nielsen swims the individual medley and breaststroke events. He set career-best times in the 200-IM (2:00.56) and the 100-Breast (1:01.50) during his high school career. Nielsen also swam for Tom Beck at GOAL.

Chas Nolte (Lincoln, Neb.)
Nolte joins the Mavericks and will swim the breaststroke events for Omaha. His personal bests are 58.07 in the 100-Breast and 2:07.59 in the 200-Breast. Nolte was a junior's national qualifier and a member of the Nebraska All-City Team. Nolte also has career honors on the Great Lakes Valley Conference Academic All-Conference team, the Midwestern Swimming Scholar Athlete team, and the Nebraska All-State Academic Athletic team.

Kyle Peterson (Bartlesville, Okla.)
Peterson is a four-year letterwinner from Bartlesville High School. In his freshman season, Peterson finished top-eight in the 100-Breast at State, while his team placed third and was named the Academic State Champions. His team finished third at state again in his sophomore season, while he made the regional cut in the 100-Breast and 200-IM. Peterson helped his team place second at state in both his junior and senior seasons. Peterson placed third in the 100-Breast and was top-eight in the 200-IM his junior year. He capped his high school career with a futures and junior nationals cut in the 100-Breast. He placed second at state in the 100-Breast and fourth in the 200-IM. He was also part of a 200-Medley Relay that placed first at state his senior season. Peterson swam for the Phillips 66 Splash Club.

DJ Rogers (Fishers, Ind.)
Rogers is transfer out of Iowa and a four-year letters winner from Hamilton Southeastern High School. Rogers broke the school's 50-Free record three consecutive seasons and helped break the school's records in the 200-Free Relay and the 400-Free Relay two straight seasons. Rogers was a state qualifier and medalist all four years at Hamilton Southeaster. In 2016, he was named Newcomer of the Year, while in 2018 and 2019, Rogers was tabbed the MVP.

Wes Thompson (Omaha, Neb.)
Thompson was a one-year letterwinner at Westside competing for the diving team in 2020-21. Thompson posted a season-best score in the 1-meter dive of 265.00 in the Metro Conference Championships. His previous high was 258.25 in Westside's win vs. Gretna.

Nick Walkley (Spokane, Wash.)
Walkley joins Omaha after spending the last six years swimming for the Tri-City Channel Cats club team. He is currently ranked 13^th in Washington state for the class of 2021. With the club team, Walkley was a 2020 qualifier in the 1650-Free, a 2020 Inland Empire Swimming Jr. Athlete representative, and a 2019 finalist for USA Swimming Clean Sport Athlete. He participated in the USA Swimming Leadership Summit at the Colorado Springs Olympic Training Center. Walkley swam personal bests in the 1650-Free (15:53.23), 800-Free (9:35.70), and 400-IM (4:07.72).

Grant Waszak (Elkhorn, Neb.)
Waszak is a four-year letterwinner out of Elkhorn where he picked up All-State honors every year. Waszak set personal bests in the 50-Free (21.66), the 100-Free (48.06), and the 100-Back (54.30). He has school records in the 50-Free and 200-Free Relay, while he also holds the state record in the 50-Back. Waszak placed fifth at state in the 50 and 100-Free. He helped his team to a third place 200-Free Relay finish for All-American consideration. In addition to his high school career, Waszak has had success in club competition. He is top-10 all-time in the 50-Free, 100-Free, 200-Free, 50-Back, and 100-Back. Waszak was a member of the Elkhorn honor roll and a member of Future Business Leaders of America.

Daniel Young (Park Ridge, Ill.)
Young is a letterwinner out of Maine South. While at Maine South, he was a team captain and part of the Varsity Athletic Council. Young set personal bests in the 50-Free (20.80), 200-Free (1:40.16), and the 200-IM (1:50.56).