Three student athletes signed national letters of intent prior to winter break to join the UCLA women’s swim team in the fall of 2008. Those athletes are Bianca Casciari, Anna Stefanec and Jennifer Lamb.
“Those are three good, solid kids who will help us mostly with relays,” coach Cyndi Gallagher said. “Having two of them who are California kids is great.”
Casciari, who attends Poway High School near San Diego, is a national qualifier in the 100m and 200m butterfly and is expected to contribute immediately in the 200m individual medley.
“Bianca is a San Diego kid, so I’ve watched her swim a lot,” Gallagher said. “She’s a local kid we’ve been recruiting for years. She’s a smart kid. … She’ll be a very versatile college swimmer.”
Stefanec grew up even closer to UCLA, in Tarzana, and she currently attends Notre Dame High School. She’s a National Qualifier in the 100m butterfly and is also a strong backstroke swimmer.
“(Stefanec) swims fly and back and we need both of those,” Gallagher said. “She swims sprint and freestyle too. She was sick last year, so she kind of had an off-year, but I know her coaches. One of her coaches, Stacie Smith-Thornton, swam with me at UCLA, so I know she’s been well-coached and she has a lot of potential.”
Lamb hails from Cypress, Texas, and has previously qualified for Junior Nationals in both the 200m and 500m freestyle.
“Lamb had contacted us,” Gallagher said. “She came on a visit and it was a great fit. She’s got a lot of potential and she works really hard.”
When the 2008-2009 school year begins, Casciari, Stefanec and Lamb will be joined by three walk-ons who have verbally committed to UCLA. Those six swimmers, along with any new recruits Gallagher signs during the April signing period, will round out the year’s recruiting class.
Gallagher said she does not anticipate many more signings because most of the recruiting budget has been spent. In addition, many of the team’s current walk-ons may need to be put on scholarship next season, which would limit the number of scholarships Gallagher can offer potential recruits.