Profiles
Amanda Anthony
Backstroke/Butterfly
Junior
Menasha, Wis. (Neenah)
2007: Finished ninth in the 100 butterfly at the Wisconsin Private College Championship.
High School: Lettered her senior year and coached by Mike Schuelke…honor student.
Personal: History major…member of the 2007 Carthage women’s water polo team…named to the fall 2006 Carthage dean’s list and to the spring 2007 Carthage athletic director’s honor roll…born April 3, 1988.
Bri Birsa
Freestyle
Sophomore
Joliet, Ill. (West)
2008: Finished seventh in the 200 butterfly (2:26.12), eighth in the 100 butterfly (1:05.28) and 16th in the 200 individual medley (2:25.74) at the CCIW Swimming Championship.
High School: Did not swim on the Joliet High School team…coached by Bryan Lederhouse for the Aurora YMCA Sharks club team…National Honor Society member, Illinois State Scholar, high honors student and graduated with honors.
Personal: Undecided on major…born May 8, 1989.
Patti Blatter
Individual Medley
Junior
Prospect Heights, Ill. (Wheeling)
2008: Finished seventh in the 400 individual medley (5:08.18), eighth in the 100 breaststroke (1:14.31) and eighth in the 200 breaststroke (2:45.08) at the CCIW Swimming Championship.
2007: Finished third in the 200 breastroke (2:34.36) and fourth in the 100 breaststroke (1:11.02) at the CCIW Swimming Championship…finished second in the 200 breaststroke at the Wisconsin Private College Championship.
High School: Part of a school-record 200 freestyle relay team her freshman year...coached by Shayna Martenson...four-year member of the water polo team and named All-Mid-Suburban League both her junior and senior seasons and all-sectional as a junior...member of the bowling team her sophomore, junior and senior years and a member of the gymnastics team as a freshman...National Honor Society member and four-year honor student.
Personal: Social work major...member of the 2007 Carthage women’s water polo team…named spring 2007 CCIW “Jack Swartz All-Academic”…named twice to the Carthage dean’s list and named to the spring 2007 Carthage athletic director’s honor roll…born April 18, 1988.
Courtney Boothe
Butterfly
Sophomore
Moline, Ill.
2008: Finished fourth in the 200 butterfly (2:19.29), fourth in the 400 individual medley (4:55.95) and ninth in the 200 individual medley (2:19.30) at the CCIW Swimming Championship.
High School: A three-time state qualifier…won both Western big 6 Conference and sectional titles in the 100 butterfly her junior year and set a school record in the event…a three-time all-metro team honoree and “metro swimmer of the year” as a sophomore…both her freshman and senior-year team won league championships, and her junior-year squad won a sectional title…coached by her father, Frank Boothe…National Honor Society member, Spanish Honor Society member, Illinois State Scholar and honor student.
Personal: Exercise and sport science major…born April 29, 1989.
Nicole Cleveland
Distance Freestyle
Sophomore
Elmhurst, Ill. (York)
2008: Finished fourth in the 1,650 freestyle (18:42.25), sixth in the 500 freestyle (5:25.78) and 13th in the 200 freestyle (2:06.17) at the CCIW Swimming Championship…finished second in both the 500 freestyle and the 1,650 freestyle at the Wisconsin Private College Championship.
High School: Qualified for the regionals her senior year in the distance freestyle and earned All-West Suburban League honors…coached by Dave Davis…three-year member of the water polo team…West Suburban League all-academic and four-year high honors student.
Personal: Exercise and sport science major…born Oct. 10, 1988.
Amanda Croix
Sprint Freestyle
Sophomore
Bradley, Ill. (Bradley-Bourbonnais)
2008: Finished seventh in the 50 freestyle (23.79), ninth in the 100 freestyle (51.63) and 12th in the 200 freestyle(1:54.10) at the NCAA Division III Women’s Swimming Championship…earned College Swimming Coaches Association of America All-America honors in all three events, first team in the 50 freestyle and honorable mention in both the 100 and 200 freestyles…Carthage’s first-ever CSCAA women’s All-American…part of four Carthage NCAA relay teams and earned CSCAA All-America honors as part of a 13th-place team in the 200 freestyle relay…CCIW champion in both the 50 freestyle (Carthage-record 23.77) and the 200 freestyle (1:54.48), finished second in the 100 freestyle (52.29) and part of a conference-champion 200 medley relay team…named CCIW “Women’s Swimmer of the Week” on Feb. 5 with first-place finishes and meet records in the 50 freestyle (24.78), 100 freestyle (54.25) and 200 freestyle (1:59.02) at the Feb. 2 Wisconsin Private College Championship.
High School: A four-time all-conference honoree, her freshman and sophomore years in the Southwest Inter-Conference Association and junior and senior years in the Southwest Suburban Conference after Bradley-Bourbonnais High School changed leagues…won a Southwest Suburban title in the 50 freestyle her senior year…a state-qualifier in the 200 freestyle as a junior…set school record records in the 50 freestyle, the 100 freestyle and the 200 freestyle…part of school-record teams in the 200 freestyle relay, the 400 freestyle relay, and the 200 medley relay…both her freshman and sophomore-year teams won SICA championships…coached by Scot Boudreau…four-year member of the water polo team and named honorable mention all-conference as a freshman, first-team all-conference as a sophomore and first-team all-conference and all-sectional both her junior and senior years…
Personal: Athletic training major…sister of current Carthage swimmer/water polo player Heather Croix and former Lady Reds swimmer/water polo player Lauren Croix…born Oct. 26, 1988.
Ellen DePue
Breaststroke/Individual Medley/Butterfly
Graduated Senior
Springfield, Ill.
2008: Finished ninth in the 100 butterfly (1:05.72), 12th in the 200 breaststroke (2:48.10) and 14th in the 100 breaststroke (1:17.97) at the CCIW Swimming Championship.
2007: Finished 11th in both the 100 butterfly (1:07.80) and the 200 breaststroke (2:48.61) at the CCIW Swimming Championship…finished seventh in the 200 breaststroke at the Wisconsin Private College Championship.
2006: Swam the 100 breaststroke, the 100 butterfly, the 200 breaststroke and the 200 medley relay at the CCIW Swimming Championship.
2005: Consolation finalist in the 100 and 200 butterfly at the CCIW Swimming Championship...finished eighth in the 100 butterfly at the Wisconsin Private College Championship.
High School: Four-time honorable mention All-Central State Eight Conference honoree and qualified for the sectional in at least one event every year…coached by Bob Milnes…four-year Central State Eight all-academic selection.
Personal: Double major in biology and sociology…born Feb. 21, 1986.
Kaitlin Duke
Sprint Freestyle
Sophomore
Schaumburg, Ill. (Hoffman Estates-Conant)
High School: Three-year member of the swimming team and coached by Wayne Oras…four-year member of the water polo team and named Daily Herald all-area her senior year…member of the tennis team her freshman year.
Personal: Athletic training major…her father, Ralph Duke, is a former swimming coach at Lake Park High School in Roselle, Ill., and her brother, Pat Duke, lettered on the 2004 Carthage men’s cross country team and will graduate from Carthage in 2008…born July 23, 1989.
Jenny Hill
Freestyle/Individual Medley
Sophomore
Prospect Heights, Ill. (Arlington Heights-Hersey)
High School: A sectional qualifier her senior year…coached by Rob Lindgren…member of the soccer team as a freshman…honor student.
Personal: Double major in elementary education and special education…born Nov. 4, 1988.
Kelsey Kanies
Sprint Freestyle
Sophomore
St. Charles, Ill. (East)
2008: Competed in the 200 freestyle relay at the CCIW Swimming Championship.
High School: Four-year letterwinner and coached by Joe Cabel…four-year member of the water polo team and played basketball her sophomore year…Upstate 8 Conference all-academic and honor student.
Personal: Occupational therapy major…born May 3, 1989.
Carolyn Kelly
Sprints/Butterfly
Graduated Senior
Naperville, Ill. (Central)
2008: Part of four Carthage relay teams at the NCAA Division III Women’s Swimming Championship and earned College Swimming Coaches Association of America All-America honors as part of a 13th-place team in the 200 freestyle relay…CCIW champion in the 100 butterfly (1:01.34), finished ninth in the 100 freestyle (55.00) and 14th in the 200 individual medley…won the 100 butterfly at the Wisconsin Private College Championship.
2007: Finished sixth in the 100 butterfly (1:02.75) at the CCIW Swimming Championship…finished second in the 100 butterfly at the Wisconsin Private College Championship.
2006: Finished fourth in the 100 butterfly (1:00.76), eighth in the 50 freestyle (25.39) and 11th in the 100 freestyle (55.92) at the CCIW Swimming Championship.
2005: Named All-CCIW with a second-place finish in the 50 freestyle (Carthage-record 24:59)…also finished third in the CCIW 100 butterfly (59.53) and sixth in the 100 freestyle (54.37)…part of four Carthage-record relay teams, including a CCIW co-championship and NCAA provisional 200 medley relay squad and an NCAA provisional 400 medley squad...won three events at the Wisconsin Private College Championship, taking first place in the 50 freestyle, the 100 freestyle and the 100 butterfly.
High School: Earned all-state honors her senior year on a school-record 200 medley relay team that finished fifth at the Illinois High School Association state championship…coached by Jon Carlson…four-year high honors student.
Personal: Double major in business administration and accounting…named 2005 College Swimming Coaches Association of America Honorable Mention All-Academic Individual…named twice to the Carthage dean’s list and a two-semester member of the Carthage athletic director’s honor roll …born Oct. 11, 1985.
Caroline Kochmit
Backstroke/Freestyle
Graduated Senior
Park Ridge, Ill. (Maine South)
2008: Finished eighth in the 200 backstroke (2:19.02), 10th in the 100 backstroke (1:04.07) and 11th in the 500 freestyle (5:32.99) at the CCIW Swimming Championship.
2007: Finished eighth in the 200 backstroke (2:28.14) at the CCIW Swimming Championship…finished seventh in the 100 backstroke at the Wisconsin Private College Championship.
2006: Finished 11th in the 200 backstroke (2:22.49), 11th in the 200 freestyle (2:05.63) and 12th in the 100 backstroke (1:05.23) at the CCIW Swimming Championship.
2005: Consolation finalist in the 50, the 100 and the 200 backstroke events at the CCIW Swimming Championship.
High School: Two-year member of the swimming team and coached by Chris Deger…also a member of the cross country, soccer and track and field teams…National Honor Society member and high honors student.
Personal: Exercise and sport science major…named to the Carthage dean’s list three times and a two-semester member of the Carthage athletic director’s honor roll…born Dec. 30, 1985.
Anna Kordek
Breaststroke
Sophomore
Long Grove, Ill. (Lincolnshire-Stevenson)
High School: Her senior-year team finished fifth at the Illinois High School Association state championship…coached by Karl Milkereit…four-year member of the water polo team…four-year honor student.
Personal: Biology major…born Aug. 18, 1989.
Sammy Jo Mahler
Butterfly/Sprint Freestyle
Sophomore
Des Plaines, Ill. (Maine West)
2008: Finished 10th in the 50 freestyle (25.99), 11th in the 100 butterfly (1:06.48) and 16th in the 100 backstroke (1:09.21) at the CCIW Swimming Championship.
High School: Earned All-Central Suburban League honors her senior year on a school-record 400-meter relay team…coached by Ryan Claus…three-year member of the track and field team.
Personal: Marketing major…born May 15, 1989.
Christine Menzenberger
Backstroke/Individual Medley
Sophomore
Mokena, Ill. (Frankfort--Lincoln-Way East)
2008: Finished 12th in both the 100 backstroke (1:06.55) and the 200 backstroke (2:23.08) at the CCIW Swimming Championship.
High School: Coached by Kate Fingello…four-year member of the water polo team and named all-conference and all-sectional her junior and senior years…National Honor Society member, Spanish Honor Society member, History Honor Society member, Southwestern Suburban Conference all-academic pick and honor student.
Personal: English major…born Jan. 23, 1989.
Alyssa Messina
Freestyle
Junior
Medinah, Ill. (Roselle-Lake Park)
2008: Part of two Carthage relay teams at the NCAA Division III Women’s Swimming Championship and earned College Swimming Coaches Association of America All-America honors as part of a 13th-place team in the 200 freestyle relay…finished seventh in the 50 freestyle (25.11), seventh in the 100 freestyle (55.50) and 11th in the 200 freestyle (2:02.75) at the CCIW Swimming Championship.
2007: Finished seventh in the 200 freestyle (2:05.23) and eighth in the 100 freestyle (56.07) at the CCIW Swimming Championship…finished third in the 50 freestyle at the Wisconsin Private College Championship.
High School: Her senior-year team qualified for the Illinois High School Association state championship, and her junior-year squad reached the sectionals...coached by Dan Witteveen...member of the soccer team her freshman year...honor student.
Personal: Graphic design major...born March 7, 1988.
Amy Mueller
Breaststroke/Butterfly
Sophomore
Hartland, Wis. (Arrowhead)
2008: Finished fourth in the 100 breaststroke (1:10.70), fifth in the 200 breaststroke (2:33.05) and tied for sixth place in the 200 individual medley (2:18.26) at the CCIW Swimming Championship and part of a conference-championship 200 medley relay team…won both the 100 breaststroke and the 200 breaststroke at the Wisconsin Private College Championship.
High School: Four-year member of the swimming team and coached by Bob Jenkyns…honor student.
Personal: Biology major…born Jan. 29, 1989.
Michelle Mulhall
Breaststroke/Butterfly/Freestyle
Junior
Orland Park, Ill. (Sandburg)
2008: Finished seventh in the 100 breaststroke (1:11.86), seventh in the 200 breaststroke (2:38.03) and 12th in the 200 individual medley (2:20.61) at the CCIW Swimming Championship.
2007: Finished fifth in the 1,650 freestyle (1904;21), fifth in the 100 breaststroke (1:11.40) and sixth in the 500 freestyle (5:32.15) at the CCIW Swimming Championship…finished fourth in the 100 breaststroke at the Wisconsin Private College Championship.
High School: A two-time sectional qualifier…her sophomore, junior and senior-year teams won Southwest Inter-Conference Association and sectional championships…coached by Jim Caliendo and Jane Caliendo…in water polo, named all-state, all-sectional and all-conference her senior year and set a school season record for goals scored…honor student.
Personal: Biology major…member of the 2007 Carthage women’s water polo team…named to the spring 2007 Carthage athletic director’s honor roll…born April 30, 1988.
Jen Pasciak
Backstroke/Freestyle
Sophomore
Oak Forest, Ill. (Orland Park-Sandburg)
2008: Competed in the 200 freestyle relay at the CCIW Swimming Championship.
High School: Named first-team all-sectional as a junior…all four of her teams won both conference and sectional championships…coached by Jane Caliendo…four-year member of the water polo team and named first-team All-Southwest Suburban Conference and first-team all-sectional her senior year…played volleyball her freshman year…National Honor Society member, high honors student and graduated with honors.
Personal: Biology major…born Oct. 6, 1988.
Michelle Pelka
Butterfly/Freestyle/IM
Sophomore
Elgin, Ill. (Elgin Academy)
2008: Finished 17th in the 200 butterfly and 18th in the 400 individual medley (4:37.12) at the NCAA Division III Women’s Swimming Championship…qualified for the NCAA 200 individual medley but did not reach the finals…part of three NCAA relay teams…named Carthage’s first-ever CCIW “Most Valuable Swimmer” for winning there events at the CCIW Swimming Championship, taking first place in the 200 butterfly (2:08.48), the 200 individual medley (2:10.24) and the 400 individual medley (4:30.94)…also part of a conference-champion 200 medley relay team…named CCIW “swimmer of the week” after winning four events at Kalamazoo on Nov. 17 and setting school records in both the 200 butterfly (2:11.53) and the 400 individual medley (4:42.68)…named CCIW “swimmer of the week” again on Jan. 22 after winning four events at the Jan. 18-19 Grinnell Invitational and setting school records in the 200 butterfly (2:09.85), the 200 individual medley (2:13.40) and the 400 individual medley (4:39.60)…won three events at the Wisconsin Private College Championship, taking first place in the 200 butterfly (2:10.45), the 200 individual medley (meet-record 2:14.50) and the 400 individual medley (meet-record 4:41.13).
High School: A state qualifier her senior year…coached by Greg Lake…a six-time qualifier for the YMCA nationals…National Honor Society member.
Personal: Biology major…sister of Bryan Pelka, a junior on the Carthage men’s swimming team…born Sept. 16, 1988.
Paige Preusse
Freestyle
Sophomore
Avon Lake, Ohio
2008: Finished fourth in the 100 backstroke (1:01.51), seventh in the 200 freestyle (2:02.51) and eighth in the 100 freestyle (55.65) at the CCIW Swimming Championship.
High School: A two-time Southwestern Conference champion in the 100 freestyle…a three-time team MVP…set school records in the 50, the 100 freestyle and 200 freestyle events.
Personal: Communication major…born Nov. 5, 1988.
Lisa Rauschert
Freestyle/Individual Medley
Junior
Des Plaines, Ill. (Maine West)
2008: Competed in the 200 freestyle relay at the CCIW Swimming Championship.
2007: Finished eighth in the 200 freestyle (2:05.88) at the CCIW Swimming Championship…finished ninth in the 200 freestyle at the Wisconsin Private College Championship.
High School: Earned All-Central Suburban League honors both her junior and senior years…coached by Ryan Claus…three-year member of the softball team, two years in basketball and a member of the track and field team her senior year…four-year high honors student.
Personal: Biology major…member of the 2007 Carthage women’s water polo team…named twice to the Carthage dean’s list and named to the spring 2007 Carthage athletic director’s honor roll…born Nov. 16, 1987.
Sarah Reynertson
Backstroke/Freestyle
Senior
Itasca, Ill. (Roselle-Lake Park)
2008: Part of four Carthage relay teams at the NCAA Division III Women’s Swimming Championship and earned College Swimming Coaches Association of America All-America honors as part of a 13th-place team in the 200 freestyle relay…finished third in both the 50 freestyle (24.64) and the 100 backstroke (1:01.01) and fifth in the 200 backstroke (2:14.05) at the CCIW Swimming Championship and part of a conference-championship 200 medley relay team…won both the 100 backstroke and the 200 backstroke at the Wisconsin Private College Championship.
2007: Carthage’s top performer at the CCIW Swimming Championship, earning All-CCIW honors by finishing second in the 100 backstroke (1:00.26), along with third-place finishes in both the 50 freestyle (24.80) and the 200 backstroke (2:11.80)…won both the 100 backstroke and the 200 backstroke at the Wisconsin Private College Championship.
2006: Earned All-CCIW honors by winning the 50 freestyle (Carthage-record 24.42) and finishing second in the 100 backstroke (Carthage-record 1:00.48) at the CCIW Swimming Championship…also finished fifth in the CCIW 200 backstroke (2:15.03)…named CCIW Women’s Swimmer of the Week on Jan. 30.
High School: Named honorable mention all-state three-straight years…set a school record in the 100 freestyle…both her freshmen and sophomore-year teams won sectional championships…coached by Dan Witteveen…three-year member of the soccer team…Upstate 8 Conference all-academic and honor student.
Personal: Elementary education major…member of the 2007 Carthage women’s water polo team…named 2005 College Swimming Coaches Association of America Honorable Mention All-Academic Individual…named to the Carthage dean’s list three times and a two-semester member of the Carthage athletic director’s honor roll…born Nov. 4, 1986.
Leah Stanley
Butterfly/Freestyle
Sophomore
Warren, Mich. (Center Line)
High School: Earned second-team All-Macomb Area Conference honors both her junior and senior years…part of a school-record 200 freestyle relay team her senior year…coached by Erin Roddis…National Honor Society member, Macomb County all-academic, high honors student and graduated with honors.
Personal: Undecided on major…born Sept. 5, 1989.
Lisa Tiltges
Breaststroke/Butterfly
Freshman
St. Charles, Ill. (Aurora-Rosary)
2008: Finished eighth in the 500 freestyle (5:38.88), 10th in the 200 freestyle (2:02.72) and 11th in the 200 backstroke (2:20.92) at the CCIW Swimming Championship…named CCIW “swimmer of the week” after winning both the 500 freestyle (5:27.66) and the 1,000 freestyle (11:05.46) in the Lady Reds’ Nov. 3 sweep of the Illinois Institute of Technology and Lewis University.
High School: Part of an Illinois High School Association state-championship 200 freestyle relay team her sophomore year that also earned National Interscholastic Swimming Coaches Association All-America honors…her senior-year team won the state championship, her junior-year team finished fifth, and her sophomore-year squad finished second…coached by Bill Schalz…four-year honor student.
Personal: Psychology major…born July 8, 1989.
Hannah Vatch
Freestyle
Sophomore
Elmhurst, Ill. (York)
High School: Four-year member of the swimming team and coached by Dave Davis…four-year member of the water polo team and named illpolo.com all-sectional both her sophomore and senior years…played basketball her freshman and sophomore years.
Personal: Business administration major…her sister, Hayley Vatch, will be a junior on the 2007-08 Lawrence University women’s swimming team…born July 24, 1989.
Lauren Zimmerman
Freestyle/Backstroke
Senior
Kenosha, Wis. (Indian Trail Academy)
2008: Finished fifth in the 200 butterfly (2:21.49), seventh in the 100 butterfly (1:04.24) and ninth in the 100 breaststroke (1:12.85) at the CCIW Swimming Championship.
2007: Finished seventh in the 200 breaststroke (2:41.71) at the CCIW Swimming Championship…finished sixth in both the 200 breaststroke and the 200 butterfly and eighth in the 100 breaststroke at the Wisconsin Private College Championship.
2006: Finished seventh in the 200 breaststroke (2:38.69), 11th in the 200 individual medley (2:22.35) and 12th in the 400 individual medley (5:05.49) at the CCIW Swimming Championship.
High School: Swam on the Kenosha Bradford High School team…coached by Franz Feldmeier…lettered on the track and field teams her freshman and sophomore years…National Honor Society member and honor student.
Personal: Physics major…named to the Carthage dean’s list four times and a two-semester member of the Carthage athletic director’s honor roll…born April 21, 1987.