The Canisius College swimming and diving program has signed seven athletes to its incoming class, head coach Scott Vanderzell announced Thursday. Lexi Agee, Kelly Burns, Madison Chapin, Kelsey Childress and Lauren Thorne will be joining the Blue and Gold on the women’s side, while Josh Dempsey and Jake Whiting will swim for the men beginning in the 2017-18 season.
Agee, a native of Medina, Ohio will be joining the Golden Griffins after a successful career at Medina High School where she was selected team captain each of her four years. Agee was also named team MVP and all-conference during her first three seasons, while still currently competing in her senior year.
Burns will join the Griffs after spending her four-year high school career at Mount St. Mary Academy in Kenmore. The Buffalo native was the recipient of the Natalie Lewis Memorial Award given to her league’s most valuable player. During the current 2016 season, Burns finished first in the 50 and 100 yard freestyle events at the All Catholic Meet, breaking school records in each, with times of 24.77 and 54.03 respectively, while also breaking former Nardin swimmer Natalie Lewis’ league record in the 100 freestyle. With her achievements, Burns has also qualified to compete in state competition.
A native of Victor, Chapin is currently attending Victor Senior High School and will be joining the Blue and Gold in the hopes of earning a degree in biology. Chapin was named all-league two times during her three-year career at Victor, while also being named all-county once.
The women’s class is rounded out by Childress, a Lynchburg, Va. native who was named a state qualifier her first three years at Brookville High School, winning three conference championships, and Thorne, a five year letter winner at Cicero-North Syracuse High School, who was named rookie of the year, most improved, team MVP and team captain during her career. The Cicero native holds school records in the 100, 200 and 500 freestyle, as well as being a member of school records in the 200 free relay and 200 medley relay.
For the men, Demspey, who resides in Charlotte, N.C., is a six year member of SwimMAC, holding times of 2:10.16 in the 200 breaststroke and 1:01.01 in the 100 breaststroke.
Whiting, a native of Auburn, currently attends Auburn High School. He was named team-captain and MVP his sophomore and junior seasons, while being named all-league four times during his career. The signee is also a two-time Class A Sectional Champion.
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