Ball State University Athletics
Women's Swim & Dive Inks Six New Cardinals With NLIs
December 04, 2015 | Women's Swimming and Diving
MUNCIE, Ind. - The Ball State women's swim and dive program has signed six new participants to the 2017 class with National Letters of Intent, including Sophie Bader (Portland, Ind./Jay County), Rachel Bertram (Buffalo, Minn./Buffalo), Cassidy Blackwin (Scarborough, Ontario/Saint Andrews), Elizabeth Graham (Springfield, Ill./Glenwood), Rachel Smallwood (Greenwood, Ind./Center Grove), and Anne Vormohr (Portland, Ind./Jay County) according to head coach Kristy Castillo.
All signees are in the process of their senior seasons and are to join the Cardinals for the 2016-17 season.
Bader sits with a 4.076 GPA in her senior year at Jay County High School and specializes in the 100 fly and 200 IM, with times of 56.68 and 2:07.61, respectively. She is currently serving as the team's captain after being a state qualifier in four events the last three seasons, in which she placed a high of ninth overall in the 200 medley relay her junior year. Bader helped the Jay County High team to its first sectional swim title in over 40 years, and has established an astonishing seven school records, including the 200 medley relay (1:47.35), 200 free (1:55.31), 200 IM (2:07.61), 100 fly (56.68), 500 free (5:14.57), 200 free relay (1:37.83), and the 400 free relay (3:36.79). A multisport athlete, Bader is an Academic All-State recipient for the Jay County soccer team and has served as the team's captain.
Bertram enters her senior season at Buffalo High School holding a 3.69 GPA, and marks a career-high score of 294.25 in the six-dive one-meter event, paired with a high of 490.20 in 11-dive one-meter competition. Bertram was named Section 8AA: Diver of the Year in both 2014 and 2015 after establishing school records in the six- and 11-dive events from the one-meter board. Racking up numerous accolades, Bertram has earned All-Conference honors three years running, after being named All-Conference Honorable Mention as a freshman. Other accomplishments have included All-State honors in 2014 and 2015 and being named Buffalo High School MVP Diver three consecutive seasons. Bertram also set the Minnesota Section 8AA diving record (one-meter, 11-dive, 2015) with her 490.20 mark, in addition being a two-time state qualifier in which she placed second and fifth overall. No stranger to the state tournament, Bertram was also the first female pole-vaulter to qualify for state from Buffalo High School and earned one All-Conference Honorable Mention and two All-Conference honors as a four-year track and field letter winner.
Blackwin specializes in the 200 and 500 freestyle as a senior year at Saint Andrews School of Scarborough, Ontario, Canada. Blackwin has been a three-time state qualifier, and she ultimately placed second overall at states her freshman and sophomore year, in addition to being a Canadian Senior National Qualifier. As well as being a seven-time provincial champion, Blackwin has been a two-time National Age Group Silver Medalist. Blackwin holds career-best times of 1:55.74 in the 200 free, 5:08.38 in the 500 free, and 9:20.55 in the 800 free. Other accolades throughout Blackwin's career have included placing second in open water competition for her age group Nationals, as well as finishing second overall in the 1500 free at her age group championships with a time of 17:53.99.
Graham currently trains under head coach Jeff Skeels at Academy Bullets Swim Club and has posted personal-best times of 5:02.25 in the 500 free, 10:15.88 in the 1000 free, and 17:04.84 in the 1650 free. A four-time Central Zones qualifier, Graham was selected as an athlete representative for the spring 2015 Illinois Swimming House of Delegates. Over the course of her career with Academy Bullets, Graham has been an eight-time Senior State qualifier, six-time Junior National qualifier, and four-time NCSA Champs Meet qualifier, in addition to qualifying for Central Zones Open Water competition.
Smallwood enters her senior year at Center Grove High School with an astounding 4.108 GPA, while excelling in both one- and three-meter diving action. Smallwood has earned academic honors four years running, established a school record in one-meter six-dive competition (287.15), and has been a three-time Sectional Champion with her team for the last three seasons. Smallwood marked an eighth place finish at state and was the Johnson County Champion as a junior, has served as the Center Grove Swim team captain, and earned the Most Improved Diver award. Other career-bests at the high school level included 455.00 in one-meter 11-dive and 410.40 in three-meter 10-dive competition. Smallwood was a regional competitor at the club level, posting scores of 368.25 and 346.80 in one- and three-meter diving action, respectively. A multisport athlete, Smallwood has been a three-time Sectional Champion with the Center Grove High School volleyball program as a defensive specialist.
Vormohr is a four-year letter winner under head coach Matt Slavik at Jay County High School. She specializes in the backstroke and freestyle, posting career-best times in the 100 back (55.79), 50 free (23.88), 100 free (52.18), 50 back (25.99), 200 back (2:04.58) and 200 IM (2:11.37) between her sophomore and junior years. Vormohr has established three individual and three relay school records, and has been a two time state medalist in the 100 backstroke, in which she finished fifth overall. After earning All-State Honorable Mention honors in 2013, Vormohr has been named Star Press Winter Athlete of the Year on two occasions. Vormohr boasts a 4.075 GPA and participates in the National Honor Society, earned three All-America Swimming Awards through the National Interscholastic Swimming Coaches Association of America, and was named to the USA Swimming Scholastic All-America Team. Anne's older sister Cori also swam for Ball State.
The 2015-16 women's swimming and diving team will continue their season when they participate in the Miami Invitational from Dec. 3-5 and Eastern Michigan Invitational on Dec. 4-5.
Stay up-to-date on all Ball State women's swim and dive action by following @BallStateSports and @BallStateWSwim on Twitter.
