Dragons Signing Day Central

MOORHEAD, Minn. – The Minnesota State University Moorhead Dragon swimming & diving team picked up six new National Letter of Intent signees and two walk-ons set to join the team in the 2012-2013 season.
 
The signees are Shaelynn Bodrero of Sky View High School (North Logan, U.T.), Annika Bordak from Buffalo High School (Buffalo, Minn.), Alex Erickson from Brainerd High School (Baxter, Minn.), Kaitlyn McKinney from Tipton High School (Tipton, Iowa), Taylor Miller a transfer from Western Illinois University (Chicago, Ill.), and Jackie Woods from Fenwick High School (Oak Park, Ill.).
 
Bodrero is a three-time letter winner in swimming at Sky View High School. Her career best time of 1:09.49 in the 100 breaststroke earned her State Champion accolades. Head swimming & diving coach Todd Peters is excited to start working with Bodrero. “Shaelynn has great talents in so many areas and it will be fun just finding where she will achieve the most success,” said Peters, “She will definitely help us in the breaststroke events and will likely swim IM, backstroke, and many relays.” Bodrero is a three-time Sky View MVP, two-time State Champion, a team captain and was named the Sky View Outstanding Female Swimmer in 2010.
 
Bordak is a diverse swimmer that will be very beneficial to the Dragons. “Annika is tough, talented and a great team leader…she can swim just about any event and will likely become out top utility swimmer,” says Peters. “Bordak aspires to be a great 200 butterflyer.  She once swam the 500 freestyle all butterfly in a meet, and won the event!”  Bordak finished in the top three spots in all four events she competed in during the 2010 and 2011 Section 8AA meets and has competed multiple times at the Minnesota Class AA State meet.
 
Erickson will compete in the fly and sprint events for the Dragons. Posting top times of 1:02 in the 100 fly and 2:27.94 in the 200 fly, she was named her teams' MVP in her senior season. The Brainerd native joins the long list of past Brainerd swimmers turned Dragon, including Assistant Coach, Katie Diiro.  “Brainerd High School coach, Dan Anderson, always does such a great job of preparing his athletes for the next level,” says Peters, “they always make huge improvements when they become Dragons. We expect the same from Alex. She is going to be a top butterflyer for us and will help us out in sprint events as well.”
 
McKinney competes in the short free and fly events, such as the 50 & 100 free and the 100 & 200 fly. At Tipton High School she was named the Newcomer of the Year her freshman season and was the team MVP her sophomore, junior and senior years. Head coach Todd Peters said, “We were really impressed with Kaitlyn's ability to swim well in so many different areas.  She has had great success as a sprinter and she has also shown the ability to swim well in the 200-yard non-freestyle events along with the 200 and 400 IM. Those are the events that will help her succeed at the college level.”
 
Miller graduated from Lane Tech College Prep High School before starting her college career at Western Illinois University. Her best times include a 1:04.34 in the 100 fly, a 2:24.71 in the 200 fly and a time of 5:32.47 in the 500 free. She was a four-year letter winner on her high school team and was named MVP during her junior and senior seasons. The Dragon coaches are excited to bring in a swimmer with Division I experience in hopes she can help guide the incoming freshman. “She can swim any event from distance free, to the IM's along with stroke 200's and sprinting.  Taylor is willing to do whatever it takes to help the team and will play a large role in moving this team to the next level,” said Peters.
 
Woods will round out the 2012-2013-recruit class for the Dragon swim team. At the Team Millennium Swim Club in Oak Park, IL she was named the Club Swimmer of the year in the 2007, 2010 and 2012. Woods was also awarded the Y2K Heart Award at her swim club. Her coach created this award in her honor due to her encouraging and uplifting nature. “Finding a top-notch breaststroker was our first priority this year and Jackie definitely meets that need…she isn't just a great swimmer, she lifts others around her to greatness,” says Peters.
 
Paige Hennen from Anoka High School (Andover, Minn.) and Lauren Sullivan from Blaine, Minn. are both walking on the Dragon swimming & diving team.
 
Hennen is a five-time letter winner and was voted the Hardest Worker on the Anoka High School swim team. She competes in the 500 free, 200 free and 100 breaststroke and has posted career best times of 5:43, 2:08 and 1:17, respectively. Peters says, “Paige is very confident, dedicated and determined to achieve success.  Finding her best events will allow her to shine at the college level.”
 
Sullivan comes from Blaine, Minn. During her high school tenure she competed in the 50 free, 100 free and both relays. “Lauren continued to make dramatic improvements during her high school senior year and we expect her to make even bigger strides at the college level.  Lauren will definitely benefit from our dryland training program and increased strength will make her much faster,” says Todd Peters.