Men's Swimming Adds Four to 2011-12 Roster

Steve Schaffer, who is entering his fourth season as the head coach of the Grand Canyon University swimming programs, announced the signing of four new recruits to his men’s squad for the 2011-12 season.

The men recorded a school-best fourth place at the NCAA Championships last season and produced seven All-Americans.

Eetu Karvonen will be a junior at GCU this season after swimming with the Multnomah Athletic Club and coach Alex Nikitin. He attended Portland State while training with Multnomah. Karvonen swam on Finland’s National Team at the European Championships, World Cup, and World Championship competitions. One of his goals for this season will be to qualify for the upcoming 2012 Summer Olympics in London.

“Eetu comes to us as one of the top breaststrokers in Division II,” said Schaffer. “His times from last year in the 100 and 200 breast events (53.82 and 1:56.33) would have placed him third and first at the NCAA DII Championships, respectively, last year. With Eetu joining us we will have two breaststrokers capable of placing in the finals at NCAAs.”

Vernon “Buddy” Turner, a sprint freestyler, graduated from Horizon High School in 2008 and was the

Arizona High School Swimmer of the Year in 2006 and 2007. He competed for the USA National Junior Team in the 2007 Pan Pacific Championships. He swam at USC in 2008-09 and 2009-10 and will be a junior at GCU this season. Turner left USC and has been training at the Scottsdale Aquatic Club since. His times from this year would have placed him fifth and fourth at the NCAAs in the 50 and 100 freestyle events (20.24 and 44.40).

“Buddy will fill the void left with the graduation of Charlie Woodruff and gives us the potential to score four swimmers in the 50 and 100 free at NCAAs,” said Schaffer. “He makes us a serious contender to challenge for championship titles in the 200 and 400 free relays.”

Brian Morrison was the 2008 AIA 4A2 State Champion in the 100 breaststroke and runner up in the 200 IM for Flagstaff High School. He spent the last two years swimming for the club team at the University of Arizona and has three years of eligibility remaining. He returned home this summer to swim for his club team, Flagstaff Peaks Aquatics, and qualified for the U.S. National’s this summer in the 200 IM.

“With Brian we add a quality swimmer with the potential to score at the NCAAs in the 200 and 400 IM as well as the breaststroke events,” said Schaffer. “With the improvement he made this summer, he has the potential to qualify for the Olympic Trials this year.”

Robert Gonzales will be a sophomore this season and comes to GCU after swimming for Fresno Pacific. He swam for Brophy High School in Phoenix and was a 2006 AIA 5A1 State Champion and High School All-American for Brophy in the 100 backstroke.

“Robert is working his way back into shape and I am confident we can get him back to his old form,” said Schaffer. “He adds depth to our backstrokers and will certainly be a factor at our conference championships.”

Grand Canyon University Athletics

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