May 8, 2007

Columbia, Mo. - University of Missouri head swimming and diving coach Brian Hoffer announced the signing of six student-athletes to his women's program on Tuesday.

Hoffer and his staff inked a talented group that includes swimmers Lyndsey Cox (Littleton, Colo. / Colorado State), Margaret Eppright (Cleveland Heights, Ohio / Beaumont), Whitney Gorsegner (Cedar Rapids, Iowa / Jefferson) and Lauren Lavigna (Vancouver, Canada) as well as divers Colleen Burke (Columbus, Ohio / Centerville) and Jenny Franzone (San Antonio, Texas / Reagan).

Theses newest Tigers join Melissa Jamerson (Jacksonville, Fla. / Bolles), Morgan McCleery (Celina, Texas / Celina), Anastasia Sotiropoulos (Buena Park, Calif.), Francie Szostak (Northbrook, Ill. / Glenbrook North) and Abby Zepeda (Scottsdale, Ariz. / Pinnacle), who signed with Mizzou in January.

"These women have the character, academics and work ethic that we need to become one of the top teams in the NCAA ranks," Hoffer said. "These athletes, along with the women we signed in the fall, make this recruiting class an exciting time in our history. The team and staff are excited to have them join our program."

Colleen Burke
Diving (Columbus, Ohio / Centerville)
Quickly on Burke:
Member of the United States Elite team coached by Drew Johansen and Kong Rong Li ... Competed at the 2006 US Region 4 Diving Championships.

Diving Coach Jamie Sweeney on Burke:
"Colleen is fairly new to the sport of diving, but she comes from one of the hardest working club teams in the country. Colleen's attitude towards the sport and her personality are going to not only allow her to be successful, but also help motivate those around her."

Lyndsey Cox
Back / Free (Littleton, Colo. / Colorado State)
Quickly on Cox:
Competed her freshman season at Colorado State in 2005-06, earning a varsity letter for the Rams ... Competed in the 100 and 200 backstroke and held the program's top 100 back time with a 56.57 coming at the Mountain West Conference Championships ... Used that career-best time to finish second at the MWC Championships and earn all-conference recognition ... Recorded a collegiate-best time of 2:04.81 in the 200 back at the Mountain West Conference Championships as well ... Owns career-best times of 55.84 in the 100 back and 2:00.75 in the 200 back ... Also a standout in the freestyle with a career-best time of 56.55 ... Prepped at Dakota Ridge High School in Littleton, Colo., and earned four varsity letters ... Was a five-time all-state honoree in Colorado and a four-time team MVP award winner ... Owns nine school records at Dakota Ridge.

Hoffer on Cox:
"Lyndsey is someone that we recruited out of high school, but she decided to go in another direction. With that said, we couldn't be happier that Lyndsey has now decided to become a Tiger. She is extremely talented and will provide us with an immediate spark in numerous relays & the backstroke events in 2008."

Margaret Eppright
Sprint Free (Cleveland Heights, Ohio / Beaumont)
Quickly on Eppright:
One of two Ohio natives in the recruiting class, joining Colleen Burke of Columbus, Ohio ... Began swimming as a freshman in high school, but managed to become a four-time qualifier for the Ohio State Championships ... Finalist at the Ohio State Championships in the 50 and 100 yard freestyle ... Was named an all-state selection in both the 50 and 100 free ... Recorded a career best time of 24.09 in the 50 sprint free and 53.13 in the 100 free ... Grandfather was a 1951 graduate of Missouri's School of Veterinary Medicine ... Father, Thomas, is a graduate of Missouri's School of Medicine.

Hoffer on Eppright:
"Margaret's coach, Mike Davidson, had nothing but great things to say about her. She has some great speed that will add some depth in the sprints."

Jenny Franzone
Diving (San Antonio, Texas / Reagan)
Quickly on Franzone:
Talented diver that was a 2006 Junior Olympian ... Competed internationally in Shanghai, China, at the 2006 China-U.S.-Canada Exchange.

Diving Coach Jamie Sweeney on Franzone:
"Jenny is going to be a great addition to our team next year. She is a selfless individual who wants to do whatever she can to help her teammates. She is a beautiful diver with a lot of potential."

Whitney Gorsegner
Sprint Free (Cedar Rapids, Iowa / Jefferson)
Quickly on Gorsegner:
Developing young sprinter that caught the eye of the Tiger staff ... Owns Jefferson High School records in the 50 free (24.25) and 100 butterfly (59.82) ... Also a member of two record-setting relay teams in the 200 medley and 400 free ... Twice named team captain for Jefferson High School and was named Regional and Metro Swimming Athlete of the Year in 2006 ... Named Athlete of the Year for the Valley Division of the Mississippi Valley Conference as a senior ... Earned multiple all-state and all-metro accolades throughout her prep career ... Also lettered in track as a freshman ... High school coach was Mike Panoch at Jefferson.

Hoffer on Gorsegner:
"While Whitney has only swum three months out of the year during the high school season, we believe that she has the explosiveness to develop into a very solid Division I sprinter."

Lauren Lavigna
Free / Back (Vancouver, Canada)
Quickly on Lavigna:
Coached by Derrick Schoof with the UBC Dolphins ... Owns a lifetime best of 51.83 in the 100 free, 1:50.21 in the 200 free and 4:53.64 in the 500 free ... Also a standout in the back, recording a career-best time of 2:02.45 in the 200 back ... Two-time member of Team British Columbia and was selected to represent Team British Columbia at the Canadian Summer Games in 2005 where she enjoyed five top-eight finishes ... Represented the Canadian Youth Team in 2005-06, swimming at the Victorian Championships in Melbourne, Australia ... Won the 800 meter freestyle at the Western Canadian Championships in 2006, while finishing second in both the 400 and 1500-meter freestyle ... Competed at the 2007 Pan Am Trials in March 2007, finishing in the Top 10 in the 400 meter free.

Hoffer on Lavigna:
"Lauren came out on her recruiting trip and really hit it off with our team. We believe that she'll come in next year and provide us with a boost in our mid-distance free & backstroke. She has a tremendous work ethic and drive to become the best."

### MIZZOU ###