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women’s swimming spotlight
klaudia nazieblo
Virginia Tech women’s swimmer
Klaudia Nazieblo navigated language
difficulties and cultural barriers
to become one of the best in
school history and to put
herself in position for
a future in the sport
by
Jimmy
Robertson
“You add [seniors] Harrison Pierce and Justin Edwards—they both
scored at the U.S. Open this summer—and the ninth-ranked recruiting
class. A couple of those freshmen look good. We’ve got some guys ready
to do. I think we’re going to reload, and I’m excited about that.”
The women’s team returns quite a bit of firepower in its own right, led
by All-Americans Klaudia Nazieblo and Reka Gyorgy, who also was the
ACC champion in the 400 individual medley as a freshman last season. In
addition, Tech returns Ashlynn Peters, the ACC 3-meter diving champion,
and the roster features steady seniors Adriana Grabski, Kelly Henry and
Maggie Gruber.
Grabski scored in several events at the ACC meet last spring.
Gruber missed last season with an injury, but she qualified for the NCAA
Championships as a relay member two years ago. Plus, Joelle Vereb,
a freshman from Williamsburg, Virginia, joins the mix after winning two
individual state titles last spring and two as a member of relay teams.
“Adriana had a great summer and continues to grow as a swimmer
and a leader,” Skinner said. “Chloe Hicks has NCAA experience and had
a great summer. Joelle Vereb is a freshman, and I think she can make an
immediate impact.
“The women have a little more experience, with people like Klaudia,
Reka and Maggie, who is back after a year off from injury. I think the
women have a chance to be really strong. I’m excited about them, too.”
Certainly, Tech’s swimming and diving program has been consistent
under Skinner. The Tech men finished fourth at the ACC Championships
last spring to mark their eighth consecutive top-four finish, while the
women’s team came in fifth, which marked its 13th straight top-five finish.
Given the talent, experience and motivation, there is little reason to
think that the Hokies will not accomplish or exceed those finishes yet
again this season.
For the first time in four years, Dr. Ned Skinner showed up at a Virginia
Tech swimming practice and failed to see Brandon Fiala or Robert Owen.
The two All-Americans graduated last May, taking with them eight ACC
titles and six All-America honors (and seven honorable mention nods).
“It’s going to be a new-look men’s team,” Skinner admitted.
That said, Skinner loves a challenge, and he loves the talent returning
on both Tech swimming and diving squads, as the Hokies opened their
2017-18 season with a meet at Duke on Oct. 13-14.
Despite the losses of the two superstars, the men’s team returns a
strong contingent of divers, including seniors Mauro Castro-Silva, Jack
Gigliotti and Thomas Shinholser and juniors Eduardo Castro-Silva and
Ben Schiesl. Also, Blacksburg native Ian Ho and Norbert Szabo, who
qualified for the Hungary Olympic Team in 2016, return after scoring in
multiple events each at the ACC Championships a year ago.
“I’m definitely excited,” Skinner said. “Our men’s diving is going to be
rock solid—all five have ACC scoring experience. Ian is emerging as a
superstar, and Norbert has a lot of ACC and NCAA experience.
looking to continue
ACC consistency
by
Jimmy Robertson
swimming and diving
inside.hokiesports.com41
