LITTLE ROCK - Little Rock swimming and diving team has officially added six swimmers and two divers for the upcoming 2023-24 season, joining a Trojan roster that is excited to get started under first-year head coach Nathan Townsend and second-year diving coach Chris Pape.
Help the Trojans in welcoming Kyra Apodaca (Sugar Land, Texas), Julia Banister (Littleton, Colorado), Niamh Carroll (Leeds, Great Britain), Dylin Cormack (Roanoke, Texas), Olivia Elgin (New Franklin, Ohio), Anna Hess (Lee's Summit, Missouri), Elena Nikolaeva (Moscow, Russia), Adara Stoddard (Bridgetown, Barbados) to Little Rock.
Read more about each incoming student-athlete below:
Kyra Apodaca (Sugar Land, Texas)
A two-time NCAA Division II Championship qualifier and transfer from Colorado Mesa, Apodaca delivers the Trojans a wealth of experience on the boards that the rebuilding diving program desperately needs. She competed in the finals at Nationals this past season, placing 10th on the 3 meter board and 14th on the 1 meter board. Apodaca also brings a balance of athletics and academics, as her former conference's Freshman of the Year in 2022 and Diver of the Year in 2023 as well as First Team CSCAA Scholar All-American accolades.
Julia Banister (Littleton, Colorado)
Banister joins the diving squad after a successful high school career at Bear Creek as well as the Mile High Dive Club. She is a State qualifier with a background in gymnastics, earning Academic All-State First Team honors as a junior and a senior in both sports. Between her multitalented credentials and high ceiling of improvement likely to be unlocked at the collegiate level, Banister will be one to watch as the Little Rock diving program continues to grow.
Niamh Carroll (Leeds, Great Britain)
The first of three international freshmen joining the Trojans, Carroll comes to Little Rock after competing at the British National Championships for the past three straight years with the Tadcaster York Sport Swim Squad. She favors the long axis strokes as well as the IM, getting better as the distance increases. Her time of 5:10.58 (LCM) in the 400 IM converts to around a 4:34 in yards, a time that would have qualified for the C final at last year's MVC Championships. Carroll's time of 18:05.05 (LCM) in the mile converts to approximately a 17:43 in yards, which would make the Little Rock top times list and score points as well. You may also see Carroll in the 200 back or 500 free depending on her growth at the collegiate level.
Dylin Cormack (Roanoke, Texas)
A State champion, All-American, and top-1000 nationally ranked swimmer in her class from the Lakeside Aquatic Club, Cormack joins the Trojans with a deep lineup that has helped her not only piece together a strong individual medley but also given her a solid mid-distance freestyle base. Both her best times in the 500 free (5:01.49) and 400 IM (4:31.35) would place her on the Little Rock top times list, but also would have qualified for the scoring B final at last year's MVC Championships. Her third event could be the 200 free (1:55.28) or 200 IM (2:07.51) unless Cormack decides to specialize in another area, which with her talents may not be off the table.
Olivia Elgin (New Franklin, Ohio)
Another top-1000 nationally ranked recruit coming in for the Trojans, Elgin comes to Little Rock with a deadly sprint freestyle and breaststroke combo. While swimming with the Green Family YMCA Barracudas and Firestone Akron Swim Team, she's posted times of 51.20 (100 freestyle) and 1:04.32 (100 breaststroke) both would have qualified for the B final with ease at the 2023 MVC Championships, while both times would also have her land on the Little Rock top times list. Elgin's 50 free and 100 butterfly are most likely to be her third individual events, with best times of 24.23 and 57.96, respectively.
Anna Hess (Lee's Summit, Missouri)
Another well-rounded student-athlete, Hess has a handful of races that range from backstroke to butterfly to freestyle events. Competing with the Empire KC Swim Club, her backstroke times of 57.90 in the 100 and 2:06.92 in the 200 would have been on the edge of making finals at the 2023 MVC Championships. Likewise, her personal best in the 100 fly (57.70) would be in contention for scoring points as well. Add in her solid sprint freestyle times and mix in a year of training at the collegiate level, and Hess could make appearances on a handful of Little Rock relays during her time as a Trojan.
Elena Nikolaeva (Moscow, Russia)
A huge pickup from overseas, Nikolaeva can throw down in a sprint freestyle event and could potentially make an appearance in a sprint butterfly race. Converted from long course meters, her 50 free time of 26.79 would be a low 23 in yards, which could vie for a coveted spot in the A final at the MVC Championships as well as a place on the Little Rock top times list. Nikolaeva's 100 free, a 58.83 (LCM) converts to a mid-51 in yards, would have been on the brink of the B final at last year's conference championships, while her 2:06.55 200 free in short course meters is relay material for the Trojans as well as C final status in the individual event.
Adara Stoddard (Bridgetown, Barbados)
Rounding out the group is Stoddard, whose athleticism and versatility will be appreciated as the multisport athlete covers a range of events from the 50 free to the 400 IM. While competing with the HighTide Stingrays Swim Club, she posted a 2:42.59 (LCM), which is approximately a 2:22 in yards. That time would have been on the edge of the B final at last year's MVC Championships, while her 1:16.26 in the long course meter 100 breaststroke converts to a 1:06, good for the C final. Meanwhile, her 5:17.26 (LCM) in the 400 IM would also score points, but don't be surprised if you see her in a sprint free or fly event as well.
For the latest information on Little Rock Swimming and Diving, make sure to check out LRTrojans.com. You can also find the team on social media at @LittleRockSwim on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.
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