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Milwaukee Men's Swimming & Diving Announces Recruiting Class

Griffore adds 10 in his first class at UWM

May 21, 2007

MILWAUKEE - The University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee men's swimming and diving team has announced the addition of 10 student-athletes who will compete next season for the Panthers.

UWM head coach Dave Griffore announced today that Chris Champeau of Green Bay, Wis., Nick DeWitt of Two Rivers, Wis., Garett Dissmore of Manitowoc, Wis., Alex Haeger of Hales Corners, Wis., Daniel Heraly of Green Bay, Wis., Jakub Kalinowski of Prior Lake, Minn., Matthew Kluczinske of Mequon, Wis., Joshua Lindquist of Milwaukee, Wis., William McCarty of Milwaukee, Wis. and Mike Nameth of South Milwaukee, Wis., will all enroll at UWM and participate next season.

Champeau was a two-time state qualifier while at Bay Port High School. He swam the 100 breaststroke at the state meet in both his senior and junior seasons.

"Chris will contribute for us next season," Griffore said. "He will add valuable depth to our breaststroke group immediately."

DeWitt will help out the UWM diving contingent in his first season. He made back-to-back trips to the state meet while diving at Two Rivers High School, placing 13th as a junior and fifth as a senior. He owns the school record as well, which he reset as a senior.

"We are excited to add Nick to the team," Griffore said. "Under Todd Hill [UWM's diving coach], he will develop quickly into a great Horizon League diver."

Dissmore competed in backstroke and butterfly events while at Manitowoc Lincoln High School and helped his team to a 17th-place finish at the Wisconsin State meet as a senior. He finished in third place at that meet in the 100 backstroke.

"Garrett was one of the top backstrokers in the state of Wisconsin," Griffore said. "He is also a great butterflyer and will contribute in both strokes for us next season."

Haeger helped his Whitnall High School team to a fourth-place finish at the Wisconsin state meet as a senior, winning state championships in two individual events - the 50 free and 100 free - and as a member of the 200 freestyle relay as well. He has earned Milwaukee Journal Sentinel All-Area Swim team honors and led Whitnall to a Woodlands Conference championship a year ago.

Heraly was named Fox Valley Association Conference Swimmer of the Year as a senior at Ashwaubenon High School, helping his team to a conference championship, a sectional championship and a fifth-place finish at the state meet. He placed second in the 500 freestyle and third in the 200 freestyle at the state meet, and also earned all-conference honors in both events and is the school record holder in each.

"Dan has made great improvements over the past season and had a great state championship meet," Griffore said. "He will help us out instantly in the middle-distance events."

Kalinowski was an all-state sprinter as a junior and senior at Prior Lake High School in Minnesota. As a senior, he placed third in the 50 freestyle and fifth in the 100 freestyle at the state meet. He set school records in the 100 free and 100 backstroke, as well as just missing the school mark in the 50 freestyle.

"Jakub is one of the top sprinters in Minnesota and will instantly fix up that area for us next season," Griffore said.

Kluczinske had a successful senior season at Homestead High School, helping lead his team to a fifth-place finish at the state championship meet. He took fourth in the 200 individual medley and eighth in the 100 backstroke at the state meet and was a YMCA national finalist in the 400 IM.

"Matt is an excellent swimmer in the IM events and will add great depth for us in that area," Griffore said. "He is also a very good backstroker and butterflyer."

Lindquist was an all-conference diver at Rufus King High School. He also qualified for YMCA Diving Nationals this past season, where he dives under the guidance of UWM diving coach Todd Hill.

"Josh is fairly new to diving and has already improved greatly," Griffore said.

McCarty helped his team to a sixth-place finish at the state meet as a senior last year at Nicolet High School, taking seventh place in both the 200 and 500 freestyles. He was named to the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel All-Area Swim Team as a member of the 400 free relay team and also helped Nicolet to a sectional championship last season.

"Bill is someone you are going to want to watch next season," Griffore said. "He has not been swimming very long and has already accomplished a lot in just a short period of time."

Nameth was a two-time state qualifier as a diver at South Milwaukee High School. He placed eighth as a senior in 2006 at the state meet after taking 15th as a junior. He has recently started diving again with Hill at Schroeder YMCA after taking a year off.

"Mike has the talent and ability to come in next season and make an impact on both boards," Griffore said.

In Griffore's first season at the helm, the Panthers earned a solid third-place finish at the Horizon League Championships in 2007, trailing only runner-up Cleveland State and league champion Wright State. The finish was the Panthers' best since 2000, with Milwaukee placing fourth or fifth for the past five years.