Justin Andrade Named Florida Tech Head Swimming Coach

FLORIDA TECH SPORTS ROUNUP

SWIMMING — Justin Andrade was named Florida Tech’s new head men’s and women’s swimming coach and aquatics director by Athletics Director Bill Jurgens on Tuesday.

“Coach Andrade proved to the Athletics’ staff, coaches and me that he has the commitment and vision to advance our swimming program under his leadership,” Jurgens said.

“I am confident that his energy and work ethic will guide the program in achieving new goals.”

Andrade helped the swim team finish fourth in the final rankings at the Sunshine State Conference Championship this past February. The Panthers achieved 12 NCAA ‘B’ Cut times at the meet and set 28 program records. Brian Dumont captured a silver medal in the 200-yard breaststroke at the conference meet, and Lauren Suarez won bronze in the 100-yard backstroke.

“I want to thank Athletics Director Bill Jurgens for this opportunity,” Andrade said.

“This team has great potential, and I am very excited to build the program to be a top competitor in the Sunshine State Conference.”

Andrade earned his bachelor’s in exercise science after swimming four years for Ashland University from 2009-13. As a junior, he assisted the coaching staff with implementing a new strength and conditioning program.

He is a certified personal trainer through the American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM). He has previously used his fitness background interning with the Department of Defense at the Pentagon, working with swimming programs in Ohio and as a group fitness instructor at Ashland. A national search for an assistant coach will begin immediately.

Badenhorst, Kalanquin Named All-American Honorable Mention

MENS GOLF — Florida Tech’s Ray Badenhorst and Justin Kalanquin continued to earn postseason accolades as the Golf Coaches Association of America announced its annual NCAA Division II PING All-America Teams on Tuesday afternoon.

The juniors were named All-American Honorable Mention. Badenhorst and Kalanquin earned PING All-South Region honors last week.

Badenhorst earned the individual championship at the Panther Invitational, shooting a second round 65. The score matched the lowest round to par in program history at seven-under-par. The Banket, Zimbabwe native earned SSC Men’s Golfer of the Week honors once and recorded the best scoring average in program history this season at 72.72 over 32 rounds played.

Kalanquin’s scoring average of 73.03 was the third best average in program history.

The Grand Forks, North Dakota native recorded four top 10 finishes, and led the Panthers with a three-under-par performance at the NCAA South/Southeast Regional.

Both Badenhorst and Kalanquin helped the Panthers earn home victories at the Full Moon Invitational, and the Panther Invitational. They also helped the squad earn nine top 10 finishes over 11 tournaments.

Overall, a total of 15 Sunshine State Conference student-athletes were honored.

Tim Crouch of Florida Southern appeared on the PING All-America First Team and was named the conference’s male athlete of the year last week.

Joining Crouch on the first team were Chico State’s Alistair Docherty, Derek Oland of Midwestern State, USC-Aiken’s Brandon Robinson-Thompson, Spencer Schindler of Flagler, Barry’s Adam Svensson, Nate Tarter of Malone and Armstrong Atlantic State’s Shad Tuten.

Twenty-six golfers earned honorable mention honors.

Panthers Sign Hurdler Maia Carter

WOMEN’S TRACK & FIELD — The Florida Tech Panthers announced the signing of Maia Carter.

Carter put her name on the dotted line to join the Panther program, and will begin her career with the spring 2015 outdoor season.

Originally from Virginia, Carter moved with her family to Riverview, Florida when she was in the ninth grade. She put a stellar career together over the past four years at Riverview High School.

Carter won the 2014 Hillsborough County Championship in the 100 meter hurdles, and was the runner-up in the 300 meter hurdles. She was a seven-time Florida High School Athletic Association 4A District 7 Champion.

SEASON ACCOLADES

During the 2014 season she won district championships in the 100 meter hurdles, the 300 meter hurdles, and the 4×400 meter relay. At the 2014 FHSAA 4A Region 2 Championships, Carter took home the championship in the 100 meter hurdles, and was the runner-up in the 300 meter hurdles. She also qualified for the FHSAA 4A State Championships three times, and finished sixth in the 100 meter hurdles in May.

“I am very excited about Maia, and had been recruiting her for a year,” said assistant coach Nick Dodson.

“She comes from a solid program, but most of all a very good coach. Maia’s coach Jason Munsch has prepared Maia very well, and she will be ready for the next level. She had a spectacular senior year and will come in and be a big part of the women’s team as a freshman. I have big expectations for her, and considering the hurdles are my specialty event, I am very excited. Maia is not only a great athlete; she is a fantastic student as well. She had a very high GPA and solid test scores. I’m excited about this signee and the future of our women’s program.”

For her performance on the track, Carter was named to the 2014 Tampa Tribune All-County Track Team, and was the Team MVP at Riverview High School for the 2013 and 2014 seasons. Carter also excelled in the classroom where she finished 30th in her graduation class of over 500. She was drawn to FIT for the science program, and the campus.

“I chose Florida Tech because they have a very good science program, which includes the major I would like to study, biomedical engineering,” Carter said.

“Also, when I went on the tour of the school I really liked the campus.”

She is also excited to be coached by a fellow hurdler in Dodson.

“I think working with Coach Dodson will be a great experience because he was a hurdler himself,” Carter said. “Also, with the hurdles being his specialty, he will be able to help me improve my hurdle and running form so that I may become the best I can be.”

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