Dec. 22, 2010
Bronx, N.Y. -
Fordham head coach Steve Potsklan and the Rams' swimming and diving squad announced the signing of five athletes today for 2011-12 season. The list includes Zachary Jacobsen (Omaha, Neb./Creighton Prep), Spencer Chappell (Middlebury, Ind./Northridge), Ariana Peschke (Topanga, Calif./La Reina), Jordan Tomimatsu (Oakland, Calif./Bishop O'Dowd), and Frances Warren (Rockville Centre, N.Y./Sacred Heart Academy).
Jacobsen, the lone male swimmer of the early signing period, is a four-year varsity swimmer for Tom Beck at Creighton Prep in Omaha, Nebraska. Primarily a competitor in the individual medley and distance freestyle events, Jacobsen was the 2010 state champion in the 500 freestyle, while earning runner-up status in the 200 individual medley. He also competes for his club team, the Greater Omaha Aquatics, where he was the 2010 Midwestern Short Course and Long Course Swimmer of the Year. Jacobsen was also the 2010 Short Course High Point Champion and 2009 Long Course High Point Champion.
Chappell split her high school career between Germantown High School and Northridge High School in Indiana. She was a three-year captain from 2007-2010 at Germantown, and currently serves as the captain at Northridge. Competing in the backstroke, butterfly, and freestyle events, she posted two SCY Senior National Cut times in 2010, and earned her third All-Metro Best of Preps award. She is also a two-time USA Swimming Scholastic All-American, posting a GPA of 3.9 (2008-09 and 2009-10). In addition to her high school career, Chappell has competed for Memphis Tiger Swimming and NASA club teams, where she has been a Senior National Qualifier and placed 25th at Juniors in the 200 backstroke. Away from the pool, Chappell is a member of the National Honor, National Art Honor, and National French Honor Societies, serving as vice-president of her chapter of the National Art Honor Society.
A freestyle and backstroke swimmer, Peschke has been a champion swimmer at La Reina High School in Topanga, California, under the guidance of Kathie Duncan. In each of the last three years, she has captured the league title in both the 100 freestyle and 100 backstroke events. She also broke the school record in both of those events at the Ventura County Cup in each of the last three years. A two-time MVP and senior team captain, Peschke was named to the USA Swimming Scholastic All-American team in 2009. In addition to her high school exploits, she also swam club for CLASS Aquatics, where she was a Short Course and Long Course Junior National Qualifier.
Tomimatsu is a backstroke and freestyle swimmer from Bishop O'Dowd High School in Oakland, California. She is a three-time All-League selection at Bishop O'Dowd and has twice been named an All-American Scholar. She set school record in the 100 backstroke in 2008 and broke it again one year later. Tomimatsu also swims for the Orinda Aquatics club team, where she is a 2010 co-captain and, in 2009, qualified and competed at Junior Nationals in Columbus, Ohio. Away from the pool, she is a member of the California Scholarship Federation and a member of the high honor roll.
Warren is a multi-event performer at Sacred Heart Academy in Hempstead, New York, for coach Mary White. Competing in the butterfly, freestyle and individual medley events and serving as a senior year team captain, she is a four-time CHSAA Champion in the 100 butterfly and was the 2010 champion in the 200 freestyle. She was also a member of the 400 freestyle relay team that won the 2010 New York State Championship title. Warren has qualified for the state championship all four years of her high school career, in particular, the 100 butterfly, the 200 and 500 freestyle, and the 200 individual medley. A two-time USA Swimming Scholastic All-American, she is a three-time qualifier at the NCSA Junior Nationals for her club team, the Long Island Express, as well as a two-time qualifier for the Speedo SCY Junior nationals and the AT&T SCY Nationals. Away form the pool, Warren is a part of the National and Math Honor Societies, as well as being a member of the honor roll.
