UCLA Swimming Announces Signing Class
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Head swimming coach Cyndi Gallagher has announced the seven-member class that has signed National Letters of Intent to swim for the Bruins starting with the 2015-2016 season. Elena Escalas (Nashville, Tenn./University School of Nashville/Nashville Aquatic Club), Alex Hubel (Boulder City, Nev./Boulder City HS/Boulder City Henderson Swim Team), Sabrina Kwok (Hong Kong/ Kincoppal-Rose Bay School/Cranbook Eastern Edge Club), Caroline McTaggart (Potomac, Md./Holton-Arms HS/All-Star Aquatics), Mary Pelton (Baltimore, Md./Roland Park Country School/North Baltimore Aquatic Club), Emma Schanz (Colville, Wash./Spokane Waves Aquatic Team) and Sandra Soe (San Jose, Calif./Pioneer HS/Santa Clara Swim Club) will start in Westwood next season.
Escalas, who is ranked fifth in the State of Tennessee by CollegeSwimming.com, specializes in the Breaststroke, having posted career-best times of 1:03.73 in the 100 and 2:17.71 in the 200. She is a two-time Tennessee high school state runner-up. In long-course events, she has a top swim of 1:13.51 in the 100 Breast and a 2:37.25 in the 200. A two-time Scholastic All-American, she was also an NISCA High School All-American at the University School of Nashville and also played on the state champion soccer team. Escalas swims for coaches John Morse and Doug Wharam at the Nashville Aquatic Club.
Escalas continues the UCLA legacy in her family. Her father, Rafael, was an NCAA Champion in the 1650 Freestyle in 1981, becoming the first swimmer to win a national title and set an NCAA record while being the very last swimmer to make the qualifying time for the NCAA Championships. He also helped the Bruins to a National Championship in 1982 and was a two-time Olympian for Spain.
“I am excited that Elena has chosen to be a Bruin,” Gallagher said. “I swam with her dad, Rafa, and have known her mom, Jennifer, since our college days at UCLA and am truly honored to have the opportunity to coach my friend and former teammate’s daughter. Elena is incredibly bright, hard-working and bleeds blue and gold. She will add so much more to our team than just her Breaststroke times.”
Hubel, a Freestyle swimmer, is the reigning state champion in the 50 Free and 100 Free for each of the last three seasons. Her best times include a 23.42 in the 50 Free, a 49.97 in the 100 Free and a 1:48.96 in the 200 Free. Hubel was named Southern Nevada Division 1A Swimmer of the Year and All-Region First Team following each of her campaigns, helping Boulder City High School to state titles in each of her last two seasons.
Out of the pool, she is a three-time USA Swimming Scholastic All-America, BCHS and All-State Academic Team honoree. Hubel swims club with Boulder City Henderson Swim Team under coach Mike Polk.
“Alex is full of talent and potential in the Sprint Freestyle events and is an amazing student as well,” Gallagher said. “Alex comes from a small town and is so enthusiastic about being a part of UCLA and our team. She will have an immediate impact and I am looking forward to seeing what she can do in four years at UCLA.”
Kwok comes to UCLA from Hong Kong by way of Sydney, Australia, where she is currently finishing up school. She is a member of the Hong Kong National Team and recently competed at the 2014 Asian Games and the 2013 World Junior Championships, where she finished 14th in the 50 Backstroke. Kwok specializes in the Back and Freestyle and her best long course times are: 100 Back (1:03.69), 200 Back (2:18.12), 50 Free (26.95) and 100 Free (57.63).
Kwok was named Most Outstanding Sportswoman of 2014 at Kincoppal-Rose Bay School, as well as the Blue Ribbon Award winner for outstanding contribution to the school. Kwok swims club with Cranbrook Eastern Edge in Australia under coach Angelo Basalo.
“We are excited to have another international swimmer with Sabrina coming in from Hong Kong,” Gallagher said. “Her goals are in line with what we are about at UCLA. She has so much passion for UCLA, it is hard not to smile when talking to her. She will add to our Backstroke and Sprint Free group.”
McTaggart, the 15th-ranked recruit for the class of 2015, swims the Freestyle and Butterfly. Her best times are: 50 Free (22.73), 100 Free (48.99), 200 Free (1:48.82) and 100 Fly (54.06). She is a nine-time High School All-American, was the 2012 Gazette Swimmer of the Year and First Team All-Gazette and Washington Post All-Metropolitan every season.
McTaggart preps at Holton-Arms High School and swims club with All-Star Aquatics under coach Robert Walker. Her long-course experience includes a 26.27 in the 50 Free, a 56.44 in the 100 Free and a 1:02.51 in the 100 Fly. She was the Potomac Valley Swimmer of the Year at 16 and 17 and is a three-time PVS Scholar-Athlete. A two-time USA Swimming Scholastic All-American, McTaggart is a 2016 Olympic Trials qualifier.
“Caroline is an incredible student and sprinter who loves to work hard and be a part of a team,” Gallagher said. “Despite her 6-foot-1 frame, she is still growing into her body and has tons of potential. She will immediately make an impact in our sprints and relays.”
Pelton comes from a long swimming tradition. Her parents swam, including her father at the University of Pittsburgh and at Olympic Trials, her sister, Elizabeth, is a junior at California and her brother, Greg, swam at Harvard. Pelton’s specialty is the Freestyle, where she has recorded best times of 23.13 (50 Free), 50.35 (100 Free) and 1:46.59 (200 Free). She also has bests of 2:00.19 in the 200 IM and 55.60 in the 100 Back.
Pelton is the 19th-ranked recruit. She swims with North Baltimore Aquatic Club under coach Bob Bowman.
“We are excited to have a North Baltimore swimmer on the roster,” Gallagher said. “Mary comes from a swimming family and embraces the lifestyle of a hard-working, elite swimmer. From my first phone call with Mary, I knew she was the kind of person I wanted on the team. She has a range of distances and strokes, and will immediately help us in the 200 Free, 200 IM and relays.”
Schanz is the top-ranked recruit in the state of Washington and the 13th-ranked recruit in the nation. A multi-threat in the Individual Medley, Breaststroke and Backstroke, her best times are: 100 Back (53.94), 200 Back (1:56.59), 100 Breast (1:02.50), 200 Breast (2:11.90) and 200 IM (1:59.10). Schanz is a member of the 2014 USA Swimming Junior National Team. At last year’s Junior Nationals, she was top eight in the 100 and 200 Back and top 16 in the 200 IM and 200 Breast.
Schanz has a great story, having done most of her training in a 20-yard, three-lane hotel pool in her hometown of Colville. Her long-course bests include: 100 Back (1:02.73), 200 Back (2:13.71), 100 Breast (1:11.63), 200 Breast (2:30.63) and 200 IM (2:18.28). She swims club with Spokane Waves under coach Kevin Wang.
“What Emma has been able to accomplish by training by herself in a hotel pool says a lot about her determination and competitiveness,” Gallagher said. “She is one of the most versatile swimmers, having swam with the National Junior Team in the 200 Breaststroke, but she can also score points in the Backstroke and IM. We are so glad that Emma chose to swim year around with our UCLA team.”
Soe, a Distance Freestyler, is a two-time Central Coast Section Champion in the 500 Free at Pioneer High School. Her best times are: 200 Free (1:48.66), 500 Free (4:46.05) and 1650 Free (16:18.75).
Soe, a two-time Scholastic All-American, swims club with Santa Clara Swim under coach John Bitter. She was second in the mile at last year’s Junior Nationals and a finalist in the 400 Free at this summer’s Nationals. Her long-course best times are: 200 Free (2:04.17), 400 Free (4:18.38), 800 Free (8:48.91) and 1500 Free (17:06.27).
“Sandra is a passionate swimmer who embraces work and loves to race,” Gallagher said. “That is one of the most important ingredients in being a Bruin distance swimmer. We are excited that she chose to stay in California and train alongside Katy Campbell.”