June 10, 2011
UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. - Penn State men's swimming & diving head coach John Hargis announced seven additions to the 2011-12 roster on Friday. Adil Acar (Istanbul, Turkey), Nick Ankosko (East Brunswick, N.J.), Nathan Reed (Bryn Mawr, Pa.), Andrew Smiddy (Miami, Fla.), Larry Virgilio (Pine Bush, N.Y.), Jeff Young (Hershey, Pa.) and Tennessee transfer Seth Wensel (Christiansburg, Va.) complete Penn State's signing class.
In December, Hargis introduced its freshmen recruits to kick off the signing period for Penn State. Along with the seven new Nittany Lions introduced Friday, Ian Decker (Fairfax, Va.), Jonathan Ekstrom (Silver Spring, Md.), Kurt Ratcliff (Centreville, Va.) and Nate Savoy (Reading, Pa.) will also be joining Penn State men's swimming & diving in August, cementing one of the best signing classes in PSU history.
Adil Acar
Hometown: Istanbul, Turkey
High School: Enka
Club: Enka Club
Club Coach: Anka Damiyanidis
Intended Major: Industrial Engineering
Honors & Highlights: Four-time National Finalist (2007-10) as a four-year letterwinner at Enka High coached by Ender Kalpak...Captained the squad for three seasons...Holds record at Enka for 50-meter, 100-meter, 200-meter and 400-meter free as well as the 50-meter butterfly...Named Enka's Athlete of the Year in 2009-10...Selected for the Turkish National Team following second-place finish in the 200m free in 2006...Earned first place in the 200 free in the 2007 Turkish National Swimming Summer Championship...Earned third in the 200m free in 2009...Earned first in the 2009 Kavala International in the 100m free...Took fifth in the 50m and 200m free events during the 2010 Turkey Winter Championship...Swam for the Enka Club team coached by Anka Damiyanidis...Holds the Enka Club record in the 50m free set in 2009.
Personal: Adil Emre Acar was born January 19, 1992 in Istanbul Turkey to Esra and Bulent Ferdag Acar...Has one sister named Asli, who swims for the Enka Club...Majoring in industrial engineering.
Acar on Penn State: "I chose Penn State because of its strong engineering program and its competitive swimming team where I can both contribute to the team and myself. Another reason is that when I was roaming University Park, I realized that the staff and students embraced the campus as their home, which is a unique quality to PSU."
Nick Ankosko
Hometown: East Brunswick, N.J.
High School: East Brunswick
Club: Scarlet Aquatic Club
Club Coach: Tom Speedling
Intended Major: Business
Honors & Highlights: Swam exclusively for the Scarlet Aquatic Club directed by Tom Speedling...Earned two U.S. Open qualifications in the 500 and 800 freestyle...Earned finalist spot in the Indy Grand Prix during the 2010-11 season along with being a Junior National qualifier...During the 2009-10 season, earned finalist spots in Junior Nationals, Ohio Grand Prix and Florida Sectional...Qualified for the Speedo Sectional final in 2008-09.
Personal: Nicholas Charles Ankosko was born March, 17, 1993 in Plainfield, N.J. to Robert and Lorraine Ankosko...Has a brother, Darren, who competes for the Virginia swim team and a sister, Lauren, who attends East Stroudsburg...Intends to pursue a career in business upon graduation.
Ankosko on Penn State: "I chose Penn State because of the beautiful campus, strong swim team family and amazing education."
Nathan Reed Hometown: Bryn Mawr, Pa.
High School: Delaware County Christian
Club: Upper Main Line YMCA
Club Coach: Glen Neufeld
Intended Major: Business
Honors & Highlights: Won 2011 district in the 200 free while placing second in 100 free...Holds Delaware County Christian 200 free record...Swam for Upper Main Line YMCA club team coached by Glenn Neufeld...Holds 500 free team record...Top eight finalist in 200 men's freestyle in 2010 and 2011...Participated in over 10 national relay championships...Participated in Junior Nationals and YMCA Nationals.
Personal: Nathan Andrew Reed was born March 16, 1992 in Bryn Mawr, Pa. to Brent and Cathy Reed...Has one brother named Evan, who swims at North Carolina...Majoring in business with a concentration in economics.
Reed on Penn State: "I chose Penn State not just due to both its respected swim team and its prestigious school of business, but also due to the team camaraderie."
Andrew Smiddy
Hometown: Miami, Fla.
High School: Miami Palmetto
Club: AquaKids Sharks
Club Coach: Lou Manganiello
Intended Major: Industrial Engineering
Honors & Highlights: Named USA Swimming High School Scholastic All-American in 2009-10...Earned NISCA All-America recognition on the 200 free relay in 2008-09 and 200 medley relay in 2010-11...Swam for AquaKids Sharks club team under the tutelage of Lou Manganiello, finishing with the 50, 100 and 200 breakstroke records...Qualified for the 2011 NCSA Junior Nationals...Competed with the Miami Palmetto team coached by David Booher...Member of 2010 Florida state champion team as a captain...Swam breaststroke leg of 2010-11 state champion 200 medley relay that set Florida public high school record...Four-time individual state finalist...Named to two All-Dade First Teams as a junior and senior...Earned four letters...Played water polo senior year, earning second-team All-Dade honors and a spot in the GMAC All-Star game...Participated in the 2009 and 2010 Southern Zone Age Group Championship.
Personal: Andrew Daniel Smiddy was born June 6, 1992 in Miami, Fla. to William and Julie Smiddy...One of seven children: Rose, Clara, Sam, Susan, Rebecca and Matt are siblings...Father, William, swam at Johns Hopkins from 1977-79...Brother, Matt, swam for Penn State in 2005-06, graduating from PSU in 2010...Sister, Susan, is a junior swimmer at the University of Miami, while Rebecca graduated from Grove City College in 2009 after a swimming career...Industrial engineering major with an economics minor.
Smiddy on Penn State: "I chose Penn State because of the diverse academics and incredible college atmosphere."
Larry Virgilio
Hometown: Pine Bush, N.Y.
High School: Pine Bush
Club: Pine Bush Elite
Club Coach: Kevin Blackwell
Intended Major: Undecided
Honors & Highlights: Coached by Kevin Blackwell in high school and for club team Pine Bush Elite...Three-time All-American...Named N.Y. Swimmer of the Meet during the 2011 state championships...Set over 40 records between high school, section and states during career...Three-time state champion in the 50 freestyle, 100 freestyle and 200 medley...Two-time state record holder in the 100 free and 200 medley relay...Member of undefeated league, county and sectional champion team for last three years of high school...Member of medley relay that won states in 2010, setting a new state record...Earned four letters.
Personal: Lawrence James Virgilio was born February 26, 1993 in Rhinebeck, N.Y. to Tom and Anne Virgilio...One of five children: Nick, Mike, Lorraine and Rose are siblings...Rosw swims for Seton Hall... An honor graduate of law and leadership academy...Intends to attend the police academy upon graduation.
Virgilio on Penn State: "I signed with Penn State to further my swimming skills and qualify for NCAAs with an amazing team and coaching family."
Seth Wensel
Hometown: Christiansburg, Va.
High School: Christiansburg
Last College: Tennessee
Club: Virginia Gators
Club Coach: Doug Fonder and Korey McCulley
Intended Major: Communications and liberal arts
At Tennessee (2009-10): Competed for the Volunteers his freshman season...Set personal bests in the 200 freestyle (1:41.69) and 500 freestyle (4:35.39) at the Tennessee Invitational...Notched a season best time of 1:55.00 in the 200 fly at the Tennessee Invitational.
Honors & Highlights: Swam for the Virginia Gators club team coached by Doug Fonder and Korey McCulley...Reached the USA Senior Nationals as a qualifier as well as the USA Junior Nationals...Earned a spot in the USA 2009 World Championship trials...Coached by Amy Briel at Christansburg High...Holds school records in every event, while leading team as captain for four seasons...Holds Virginia high school state record in the 200 free...Two-time state champion in 200 free and won the 500 free as well...Named a USA Swimming High School Scholastic All-American in 2007-08 and 2008-09...Two-time NISCA/Speedo All-American in the 200 and 500 freestyle from 2007-09.
Personal: Seth Wensel was born March 12, 1991 in Christiansburg, Va. to Lee and Vicky Wensel...Has one sister, Lauren, who swam at Radford University...Majoring in communications and liberal arts.
Wensel on Penn State: "I chose Penn State because of excellent academics, good team chemistry and great coaches."
Jeff Young
Hometown: Hershey, Pa.
High School: Hershey
Club: Hershey Aquatic Club
Club Coach: Greg Fastrich
Intended Major: Undecided
Honors & Highlights: Swam for Greg Fastrich at Hershey Aquatic Club and at Hershey High...Member of three-time PIAA State Champions (2009-11) with a runner-up finish in 2008...Teammate at Hershey with fellow Nittany Lion Sean Grier...Earned second place in the 50 free and fourth in the 100 free at the 2011 PIAA AAA Championships...Anchored the NFHS record setting 200 freestyle relay team in 2011 as well as the 200 medley relay in 2010...Earned four letters.
Personal: Jeffrey Bennet Young was born May 26, 1993 in Hershey, Pa. to Scott and Pam Young...Has two siblings, Jenny and Jason...Mother, Pam, swam at Ohio State and Elizabethtown...Great grandfather graduated from Penn State.
Young on Penn State: "I chose Penn State because I wanted to be challenged both in the pool and the classroom. I also thought Penn State would help me to set goals and attain them."
For complete coverage of all the Nittany Lion swimming & diving this season, visit GoPSUsports.com.
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