Swim coach Cyndi Gallagher announced the signing of four swimmers to National Letters-of-Intent yesterday that will be joining the UCLA swim and dive team in the fall 2009.
The four new additions include Quah Ting Wen of Singapore, Rachel Godfred out of Mercer Island, Wash., Scarlet Cann from Tacoma, Wash., and Kelsey Hall, who hails locally from Santee.
The four additions complete a 13-member class for 2009. Eight athletes committed during the fall signing period, and dive coach Tom Stebbins added diver Karina Silva last month.
Ting Wen is a former teammate of Bruin alumna, standout Nicolette Teo. Both Wen and Teo were members of the 2008 Singapore Olympic team. Ting Wen, a sprinter, swam the 100m freestyle and the 400m individual medley (IM) events while Teo was competing in her third Olympics for her native country.
Teo said that Ting Wen is a quick learner who works hard. She said that Ting Wen’s most difficult challenge will be adjusting to her new environment in Los Angeles. If she is able to do that, Teo said she believes that the Singapore-native will immediately contribute to the team.
“She is young and very talented,” Teo said. “Many coaches have hailed her as one of those raw talents that could be the one (that wins an Olympic medal for Singapore).”
“Her strength lies in focus, her versatility and her untapped potential,” Gallagher told uclabruins.com.
Godfred won the Washington State Championship in the 500m freestyle and, in the process, broke Gallagher’s record in the event.
“Rachel has established herself as an up-and-coming IM and butterfly specialist and she will add depth in a number of events for the Bruins,” Gallagher said.
Cann is a teammate of Godfred and, according to Gallagher, should help bolster the team’s freestyle unit.
“Her passion is in racing and she will immediately help the Bruins in the relays and be a strong contender in the 100 and 200 freestyle as well,” Gallagher said.
Hall will also add depth to the freestyle group.
“Kelsey has an incredible work ethic and will add depth to an already-strong distance group,” Gallagher said.
The group of 13 new freshmen will replace the four senior swimmers and four senior divers that will depart due to graduation. Both teams will face the prospect of rebuilding, as the swim team loses two of its stars in Madeleine Stanton and Anna Poteete and the dive team loses All-Americans Marisa Samaniego and Tess Schofield.