Men's Swimming | 1/11/2017 11:15:00 AM

SHIPPENSBURG, Pa. — Shippensburg University men's and women's swimming head coach Tim Verge '89 has confirmed the addition of five student-athletes during the early signing period who have agreed to attend SU in the fall of 2017.
 
These swimmers have signed either national letters of intent (NLIs) or institutional letters expressing their desire to compete at Shippensburg.
 
"We are so very excited about the incoming class of student-athletes we have committed," Verge said. "Shippensburg University will provide a tremendous experience for these student-athletes and we are honored they have entrusted their future to us. They will all contribute so much over their four years to our university, swim team and community."
 
Verge added: "Each of them is very excited to get to work here in the fall of 2017. However, I am really looking forward to watching them finish with fantastic swims the rest of their senior year."
 
The bios of the signees are listed below:
 
MEN's RECRUITS:
 
Ely Fryer
Fly/Back
Frederick, Md./Urbana
 
Urbana High School: Swam for the Hawks under coach Steve Howard…finished first in the 100-meter butterfly and second in the 100-meter freestyle in the long-course state championship meet in Maryland…competed at the club level with Monocacy Aquatic Club for coach Jeb Beaver…compiled PRs of 51.75 in the 100-yard butterfly, 53.28 in the 100-yard backstroke and 1:57.53 in the 200-yard butterfly.
 
About Fryer: Full name is Elias Otto Fryer…is the son of Gary and Therese Fryer…plans to major in biology.
 
Verge on Fryer: "Ely is a teammate of fellow signee Maddy Verby. When I went to see her practice, I saw Ely and we started pursuing him. It was so thrilling for us that he took to SHIP and what we have to offer him. He has a lot of versatility and range and will come in and contribute so much to us. It will be a fun problem to figure out where best to use him. He is hungry to get better and I believe we can give him a strong environment in which to do so."
 
Hunter Keck
Breast/IM
Denver, Pa./Cocalico
 
Cocalico High School: Achieved multiple varsity letters swimming for the Eagles and coach Matt Woods…placed 16th in the PIAA 'AA' Championships in the 100-yard breaststroke…competed on the club circuit with Reading YMCA and coach Kim Evans…honor-roll student with a 3.98 grade-point average (GPA)…posted PRs of 1:00.98 in the 100-yard breaststroke and 2:18.01 in the 200-yard breaststroke.
 
About Keck: Full name is Hunter Keith Keck…is the son of Bo and Melissa Keck…plans to major in exploratory studies...has a sister, Samantha.
 
Verge on Keck: "Hunter is really going to blossom the next several years. I think he is just starting to scratch the surface of his potential. He is a former teammate of Gabbie Johnson's and so I know he knows how to work hard. On his visit, I could tell he had the right focus in what we wanted at SHIP. I'm very happy he decided to be a part of our program here."
 
Cody Preston
Breast
Oxford, Pa./Oxford Area
 
Oxford Area High School: Swam primarily for the JY Barracudas at the club level, competing for coach MaryAlice Miller…compiled PRs of 1:01.31 in the 100-yard breaststroke and 2:18.59 in the 200-yard breaststroke.  
 
About Preston: Full name is Cody Sean Preston…is the son of Darrin and Sherry Preston…plans to major in biology.
 
Verge on Preston: "I believe from his first visit Cody felt like SHIP was the place for him. He really is excited to be part of what we are doing. Once we get him in our program I think we are going to see some tremendous drops for him and that he will be contributing a lot to SHIP swimming. He also has experience swimming with Mary Alice Miller, one of our alums who I coached, so he knows what it takes and what is expected in our program."
 
Eric Zimmerman
Free
Monrovia, Md./Urbana
 
Urbana High School: Competed primarily for the Rockville/Montgomery Swim Club under club coach Bill Shechtman, specializing in distance freestyle events…posted national qualifying marks as a junior in the 1,000-yard and 1,650-yard freestyle…recognized three times as a PVS Scholar-Athlete…is a member of the National Honor Society…recorded PRs of 4:41.74 in the 500-yard freestyle, 9:37.93 in the 1,000-yard freestyle and 16:13.31 in the 1,650-yard freestyle.
 
About Zimmerman: Full name is Eric Stanley Zimmerman…is the son of Scott and Margaret Zimmerman…plans to major in accounting...has a sister, Kate, who swims at East Stroudsburg.
 
Verge on Zimmerman: "I've followed Eric for several years as we had recruited his sister and he knows some former SHIP swimmers. He's a super young man. It was really exciting to watch his development into such a premier swimmer. When we connected about coming to SHIP, I really felt like Eric would bring so much to us and that we had to have him. We are so thrilled he decided to join us. He knows how to train and really has so much great swimming ahead of him."
 
WOMEN's RECRUITS:
 
Madeleine Verby
Free
Frederick, Md./Oakdale
 
Oakdale High School: Earned multiple varsity letters for the Bears, specializing in distance freestyle for head coach Melissa Lapham…named to the Frederick County First Team three times (2014, 2015, 2017)…competed at the club level with Monocacy Aquatics Club for coach Jeb Beaver…member of the Academic Honor Roll…posted PRs of 1:56.44 in the 200-yard freestyle, 5:03.93 in the 500-yard freestyle, 10:32.67 in the 1K freestyle and 17:43.61 in the 1,650-yard freestyle.
 
About Verby: Full name is Madeleine Jane Verby…is the daughter of Russell and Stacey Verby…plans to major in communication/journalism...has two brothers, Tim and James.
 
Verge on Verby: "When Maddy visited last spring at an Open House, I immediately knew this was someone we wanted at SHIP. As well, it seemed right away she had a wonderful connection with SHIP. We were able to visit over the summer as well and it just seemed like her excitement about SHIP kept building. We were so excited when she committed to us! She is going to bring a lot to our program and can be a Top 8 finalist at the PSAC Championships in several events. She has a phenomenal attitude and I can't wait to get working with her."