Nov. 19, 2013
NASHVILLE, Tenn. – The Vanderbilt swimming head coach Jeremy Organhas announced the signing of seven student-athletes to National Letters of Intent. Beginning in the fall of 2014 Bailey Bowden, Summer Brown, Brenda Cha, Katherine Hornaday, Madeline Hunt, Kara Lucenti and Breanna Sapienza will join the Commodores.
“I am very excited about the very talented group of student-athletes that have made the decision to join us here at Vanderbilt,” Organ exclaimed. “Each one of the girls have the ability to have in immediate impact on our program and cant wait to have a chance to coach them. They are all extremely good students and understand the commitment it takes to be successful in the classroom and in the pool.”
Bailey Bowden – Plant City, Fla. – Distance Free
Bowden is a native of Plant City, Fla., and has qualified for states as a member of her high school team in each of the past three seasons. She is a distance freestyle specialist and is a NCSA junior national qualifier in the 200, 500, 1000 and 1650 freestyle. Bowden has also competed in many open water races, including the open water nationals.
Summer Brown – Kokomo, Ind. – Freestyle
Brown comes out of the Carmel Swim Club in Kokomo, Ind., and is also a member of the Western High School swim team. She has been named the WHS swim team MVP every season and holds the programs records in the 100, 200 and 500 free. Brown was a runner-up in the Indiana High School meet in the 200 free, finishing with a personal best time of 1:49.30. Brown was a junior national qualifier and was also a Scholastic All-American.
Brenda Cha – Lake Oswego, Ore. – Freestyle/Breaststroke/IM
Cha swims for the Lake Oswego Swim Club and Lake Ridge high school. She is a consistent participant at the summer junior nationals, and has participated at the Texas Winter Junior Nationals. At Junior Nationals this past summer she swam the 200 IM, 100 breaststroke and the 100 freestyle.
Katherine Hornaday – Owensboro, Ky. – Freestyle/Backstroke
Hornaday swims for Owensboro, Kentucky’s Velocity Swim Club and Coach Leslie Angermeier. She is the current Kentucky Open Division 200 meter backstroke champion and previously won age-group State Championships in the 50 yard freestyle, 100 yard freestyle, and 200 yard backstroke. She is a USA Grand Prix and multi-event NSCA Junior National qualifier. While, swimming for Davies County High School, Hornaday won six Regional Championships and posted an All-American Consideration time of 24.11 in the 50 yard freestyle. She is the fourth generation of her family to attend Vanderbilt.
Madeline Hunt – Naperville, Ind. – Freestyle/Backstroke
Hunt, a sprint free and backstroker, swims for her high school team Waubonsie Valley. She was a 2011 Scholastic All-American and team MVP in 2011 and 2012. Hunt also swims for Fox Valley Swim Team under head coach Dave Krotiak. As a Junior National qualifier, she has achieved 26.7 in the 50 free, 58.7 in the 100 free, and 1:06 in the 100 back in long course meters.
Kara Lucenti – Kenilworth, Ill. – Breaststroke/Backstroke/IM
Lucenti is a breaststroker, backstroker and IM’er from Kenilworth, Ill. Lucenti is a world qualifier in the 200 breaststroke and a US Open qualifier in the 100 breaststroke. She has qualified for junior nationals in each of the last four seasons and has been a junior national top eight finisher in each of the last two. Lucenti was the 2012 LC Speedo Sectional champion in the 200 breaststroke. She was 2011-12 NISCA Swimming and Diving All-American and a three-time Scholastic All-American.
Breanna Sapienza – Medford, Ore. – Butterfly/Freestyle
Sapienza joins the ‘Dores from Medford, Ore. She has competed in six junior national meets along with the 2012 Olympic Trials in the 100 fly. The Scholastic All-American is a 4.0 student at Cascade Christian High School, with plans of becoming a doctor and attending the Olympics.
