AUBURN, Ala. - The three-time defending NCAA Champion Auburn women's swimming team has received commitments from 10 student-athletes to join the team for the 2005-06 season, it was announced by coaches David Marsh and Kim Brackin. Set to join the Tigers are Daniela Brands, Blakeley Bunch, Emile Ewing, Chelsea Haser, Alicia Jensen, Danielle LeClair, Margo McCawley, Julianne McLane, Kara Nelson and Allison Randall.

"Overall this is perhaps the most exciting class we have ever signed on the women's side," Marsh said. "Not only because of the immediate impact they will have on the program but also because of the potential of so many in the group. Among them are several top-notch students and each one comes to Auburn with the quality character that we are looking forward to embracing within our program."

Daniela Brands will join the Tigers from Saint Petersburg, Fla., and Fred Lewis' Saint Petersburg Aquatics. A versatile swimmer specializing in the sprint free, 100 back and individual medley, she has been a Florida State Championship Qualifier the past four years. A City and District Champion, she has been a Senior National participant. A school record holder, she has held Principle Honors in the classroom. She chose Auburn over Purdue, Florida Atlantic, Louisville and Brown.

"Dani Brands was a member of our starts and turns camp this summer and it was obvious when she walked on the deck that she is a natural swimmer," Brackin said. "She will bring a lot of wide-eyed excitement to the program. She is obviously talented. We appreciate Fred's (Lewis) comments in our recruiting of her and I am excited about having the opportunity to help her reach her ultimate potential."

"I chose Auburn University because of its excellent reputation throughout the country. The combination of academics and athletic achievements are one of a kind in the nation," Brands said. "Being a dedicated swimmer, I am extremely impressed with the high caliber of the Auburn swim team and excellence of the coaching staff."

Blakeley Bunch will join the Tigers from Mike Polk's Boulder City Henderson HEATWAVE Swim Team in Boulder City, Nev. A versatile swimmer, she was the 2003 Review Journal High School Swimmer of the Year and the 2004 Nevada High School 500 free champion. The California/Nevada Sectional Champion in the 200 back and 400 IM, she chose Auburn over California, Tennessee, Washington and Nevada.

"Blakely has a versatility that we could not wait to get our hands on. I don't think I could tell you right now what three events she will swim at NCAAs over the next four years," Brackin said. "I think she is going to grow like so many of our swimmers here already have in the past. She knows that she will have the opportunity to race different events and that is probably one of the reasons why she chose Auburn. She is a great student. She will have a great balance between the classroom and the pool and her enthusiasm is something that will help everyone on this team improve."

"Auburn University has the best fit for both my swimming and academic goals. The Auburn family has impressed me (and my family) with their camaraderie and competitive culture," Bunch said. "I can't wait to be on campus and in the pool next fall. All of my on-campus visits were exciting - but a strong sense of the group as a focused team is most impressive at Auburn."

Emile Ewing comes to the Plains from Madisonville, Ky., where she swims for Charles Rothe during the year and with Linck and Paul Bergen and the Tualatin Hills Swim Club over the summer. A sprint free and backstroke specialist, she is a six-time Kentucky High School individual state champion. She is also the record holder in 32 Kentucky Age Group Events in SCY, SCM and LCM as well as the Kentucky High School state record holder in the 50 free at 23.45. A 2001 USS Regional Select Camp and 2003 USS National Select Camp attendee, she will graduate from Madisonville North Hopkins High School with a cumulative 4.0 GPA. She chose Auburn over Georgia, Stanford, UCLA and California.

"Ever since I met Emile at the select camp in 2001 it was obvious she was a student of this sport. She was so eager to learn about what could make her a better swimmer and I am just so excited to have her back at Auburn and to have the ability to work with her for the next four years," Brackin said. "She is an incredible student and I know she will hold herself to the highest standards in both the classroom and the pool. I think she will be a phenomenal teammate for such a large freshman class and for the group that she is already joining."

"From the time I first swam at Auburn for Regional Select Camp nearly four years ago to my recruiting trip this fall, I have always loved and admired Auburn swimming," Ewing said. "My recruiting trip reinforced my approbation of the school and swimming program. I am really looking forward to being a member of this extraordinary team next fall."

Chelsea Haser heads to Auburn from Sykesville, Md., where she swims for Jeff Hiestand and the Green Terror Aquatic Club. A freestyle specialist, she attended the 2003 National Select Camp. A senior at Century High School, she is a two-time Maryland Short Course Swimmer of the Year. Her best times in the 500 (4:47.75), 1000 (9:56.44) and 1650 free (16:29.50) would all rank in the school's top-ten were she a current student-athlete at Auburn. A national qualifier in those events plus the 200 free, she is a member of the National Honor Society and a two-time Academic All-American. She chose Auburn over Southern Cal, Texas and Arizona State.

"Chelsea is going to be a great addition to our distance crew," Brackin said. "I think she will benefit tremendously from training with Hayley (Peirsol) and Adrienne (Binder) and the rest of the RHOP crew on Thursdays. She will bring a unique perspective to that group and new energy and excitement. Her dedication to pursuing her academic dreams is something that fits in well with the Auburn program."

"I choose Auburn because of the academics, team, coaching staff, and location," Haser said. "Auburn has a solid academic reputation and a strong support staff for scholar-athletes. Additionally, the team and the coaching staff made me feel welcome and wanted as part of their team. Along with its awesome swim team and strong academics, Auburn is located relatively close to family and friends. Overall, Auburn was the best fit for me. War Eagle!"

Alicia Jensen heads to Auburn from Eden Prairie, Minn., and Ann Urschel's Team Foxjet. A breaststroke specialists, she has also trained for the individual medley's. An Olympic Trials qualifier in both breaststroke distances, she placed 21st in both events (1:12.14 * 100, 2:34.94 * 200). The 2004 NCSA meet champion in both breaststrokes, she also holds the NCSA meet record. The eighth-place finisher in the 100 breast at the 2004 Summer Nationals with a 1:12.44, she was inducted into the National Honor Society in 2003. She chose Auburn over Florida, Stanford, UCLA and Arizona.

"Alicia was recruited heavily and for good reasons. She is one of the top breaststrokers to come out of high school. She comes out of a program where she has been well coached but the facility conditions have been far less than ideal," Marsh said. "I believe she'll see her best swimming days during her college years. We look for her to have an immediate impact in the breaststroke events for us and to have a chance to step right onto our 'A' relay."

"I choose Auburn because of how comfortable I was with the team and the coaches. I had a really great feeling about Auburn by the time I left," Jensen said. "I didn't even want to leave after my recruiting trip, that's how comfortable I was. I loved the feeling of the campus and the area that surrounds the university. I felt like I was apart of a huge family, especially with the team. I knew I wanted to be wearing the blue and orange next year!"

Danielle LeClair joins the Tigers from Geoff Brown's NOVA of Virginia Aquatics in Richmond, Va. A butterfly and IM specialist, she finished third in the 2004 Spring Junior Nationals in the 200 fly where she went 2:16.73. She also competed at the 2004 Spring Nationals where she finished 16th in the 200 fly. She too was a 2003 National Select Camp attendee with fellow AU signee Emile Ewing. An honor roll student at Mills E. Godwin High School in Richmond where she has a 4.1 GPA, she has been named Richmond Times-Dispatch Scholar Athlete of the Month during her high school career. She chose Auburn over USC, Virginia, Arizona and North Carolina.

"From the first letter of interest that I received from Danielle I knew she was meant to be an Auburn Tiger. Her enthusiasm about this program and the team will hopefully only be contagious when she gets on campus," Brackin said. "She is so full of energy and life in everything she does and I think she is going to keep a lot of people happy during workout which can translate into fast swimming."

"From the moment I arrived on the Auburn campus all I saw were smiles and welcoming faces. The team atmosphere and the way that the swimmers cared about each other were apparent throughout the entire weekend," LeClair said. "I loved how the team was so energetic and motivated. The coaches, as always, were fantastic and bubbly the whole weekend. I feel in love with Auburn. There isn't one thing that made me decide to go there. It is just a feeling that Auburn is the place for me. I know it with 100% certainty and feel so lucky to have found such a great university and swim team."

Margo McCawley heads to Auburn from the Memphis Thunder Aquatic Club where she swims for Cory Horton and Keith Anderson. Primarily a backstroke specialist, in which she holds the state record, she also can lay claim to the state record in the 100 fly. A two-time Tennessee Swimmer of the Year, she competed at the 2004 US Olympic Team Trials where she placed 21st in the 100 back (1:04.36) and 22nd in the 200 back (2:18.07). She was also a member of the 2002-03 USA National Junior Team. A product of St. Mary's Episcopal School in Memphis, Tenn., she chose Auburn over Georgia, Florida, California and Arizona.

"Margo comes from an outstanding background in Memphis where she has begun to scratch her potential short-course but in long-course and overall swimming I will expect her to continue to improve season-by-season," Marsh said. "There are many similarities between Margo and Margaret Hoelzer, not the least of which is that they share the same coach in Keith Anderson. Margo has the potential to be a NCAA scorer not only in the backstrokes but also in the butterfly and 200 freestyle."

"Margo told me that since she was five she's wanted to go to Auburn, but it was more of a 'I wish I could be good enough to go to school there,' " her club coach Anderson said. "Even though she was, she had the perception that she wasn't. But this past year she made a quantum leap forward, from being a really good swimmer to the top recruit in the nation, and I think in the back of her mind now she knows she's good enough."

Julianne McLane heads to Auburn from Concord, Calif., where she swims for Ray Mitchell and the Terrapins Swim Team. A middle distance freestyle and backstroke specialist, she also trained under Steve Allard at Carondelet High School. An Olympic Trials qualifier in the 200 backstroke, her best time in the yards version is a 2:00.96. A National Select Camp attendee, she should provide the Tigers with depth in the 500 free (4:51.93). An All-American for three straight years, she has also been an honor roll student for the last three years.

"I am so excited to finally get one of Ray Mitchell's Terrapins. The club has a reputation of producing very talented swimmers who excel in college," Brackin said. "Julianne, I feel positive, is going to follow in that path. She is loaded with talent. She is excited about her future and what it holds for her. I know she chose Auburn because she felt this was going to be the best place for her to explore that."

"I decided to go to Auburn because I knew if I went there that I could use every tool possible to become a better swimmer," McLain said. "I really loved the people there too. The coaches and other swimmers were so awesome and friendly. I am so excited I chose Auburn."

"We are very excited to see Julianne choose Auburn University to continue her educational and athletic goals," her club coach Ray Mitchell said. "The Auburn program has a rich history of turning national-level athletes into world-class athletes in a very short time. Julianne chose Auburn for this reason and is excited to work with a great group of coaches and some of the most dedicated and hard working swimmers in our sport. I feel she will be a strong contributor to the Auburn program and look forward to watching her improve."

Kara Nelson joins the Tigers from Portland, Oregon, where she attends Jesuit High School. A butterfly specialist, she was a 2004 USA Olympic Team Trials qualifier in the 100 fly, where she placed 36th, though her best time in the LCM event is a 1:01.89. A three-time state champion in the butterfly, she is also a two-time national medley relay team record holder in the 200 and 400 yards. A product of Paul Bergen's Tualatin Hills Thunderbolt Swimming, she has also gotten it done in the classroom, where she has been on the honor roll for three semesters. She chose Auburn over Notre Dame, Purdue and UCLA.

"Kara comes from an outstanding program where she has just begun to make strides at the national level. She will have the opportunity here at Auburn to step right in as an impact butterflier and develop herself in her other events during her years here," Marsh said. "She is an eager swimmer who has big goals that should fit well in this program."

"When I visited Auburn, I immediately felt welcomed into the campus community. The coaches and swimmers were interested in me as a person as well as a swimmer," Nelson said. "The team spirit, campus environment and academic programs were like nothing I had experienced. All this plus the coaches and swimming successes at Auburn made me realize I only wanted to be a Tiger."

Allison Randall will head to Auburn from Brooke Pate's Huntsville (AL) Swim Association. Primarily a breaststroke and butterfly specialist, she is a five-time Alabama State High School Champion, which included successful defenses of her 100 fly and 100 breast (1:05.99 - LCM) titles this year. A two-time NISCA High School All-American, she was named the 2003 All-Metro Swimmer of the Year. A Huntsville High product, she chose Auburn over Alabama, Kentucky and Florida State.

"Allison, like most of our swimmers from Alabama, has tremendous potential and I would expect to see her develop over time into a high impact swimmer much like Margaret (Hoelzer) and Tawnie (Bethune) have within our program. Signing the best in-state swimmer is always a high priority for us and we are excited to have Allison joining us."

"For the past several years I have dreamed about swimming for Auburn," Randall said. "I really love the Auburn campus and the atmosphere. I have wanted to be a part of a team that pushes each other to do its best and a program full of challenges. I want to be the best swimmer I can be and be a part of something great. I really like the coaches and the team. I feel like everything fell into place after my visit there.