Pilot Swimmers Competing in College

Class of 2012

Thirteen Pilot Aquatic Club Graduating Seniors to Swim in College  

All thirteen of Pilot Aquatic Club’s 2008 graduating seniors plan to continue their swimming careers in college next fall.  This is an amazing testimony to the quality of the Pilot swim program and the commitment and dedication of the coaching staff, particularly in guiding these talented athletes through the complex college athletic recruiting process. Pilot’s graduating senior class of 2008 includes Ben Absher, Paige Ayres, Hunter Banister, Bo Fethe, Jace Howanitz, Katie Keel, Jen Muhlheim, Chris Kelly, Adam Parker, AJ Tipton, Jenna Voelkert, Alex Wessel, and Cecilla Wille.

 

Ben Absher (CAK) will attend Washington & Lee University in Virginia, where he plans to study chemistry and engineering.  He is primarily a distance freestyler (500, 1000, and mile). He is a 10-year member of Pilot Aquatic Club.  He graduated with a 4.04 GPA and was in Who’s Who among High School Students, National Honor Society, Tennessee Scholars, and a summa cum laude graduate with valedictory status.  He is the assistant swim coach for the Peninsula Club swim team this summer, where he also works as a lifeguard. 

 

Paige Ayres (Webb) will attend Virginia Tech.  She is interested in psychology but is undecided on a major.  Paige has been with Pilot for 10 years, and is talented in all four strokes.  She is a member of the Pilot Short Course National Team, a three-time member of the Southeastern Zones Team, and a State High School Meet Finalist for 4 years. She graduated with a 3.86 GPA and has been a Scholastic-All American for the past three years.  She is a lifeguard at Cherokee Country Club and teaches swim lessons this summer.

 

Hunter Banister (Webb) will attend Trinity University in Texas, where he will study engineering. Hunter has been a member of Pilot for 10 years.  He specializes in sprint (50, 100) freestyle events, and the 100 breaststroke.  Hunter graduated with over a 4.0 GPA, and was a member of the National Art Honor Society and scored in the 99th percentile on the National German Exam. He has worked as a runner for a law firm, and currently is a lifeguard and swim instructor at Cherokee Country Club.

 

Bo Fethe (Bearden) will attend UNC-Wilmington this fall.  He plans to study marine biology.  Bo has been with Pilot for 9 years.  Specializing in the breaststroke and IM, Bo was a State High School Meet Finalist in the 100 breaststroke and 200 IM, and a member of the 2007 Bearden State Champion 200 Medley Relay team.  He is a four-time All American and was a member of the Southeastern Zone Team for two years.  Bo is active in the Ebeneezer UMC youth group.  He has worked as a lifeguard and as an assistant mechanic for Gillespie Imports. 

 

Jace Howanitz (Knoxville Catholic) will attend Virginia Tech and is interested in business.  In her two years at Pilot, she has been a three-time High School State Champion (200 IM in 2007 and 200 IM and 100 free in 2008). This year she also attended the 2008 Olympic Trials and was a member of the Pilot Short Course National Team. She is a six-time High School All-American. Her favorite events are the 200 IM, sprint freestyle, and butterfly.  She graduated with a 3.8 GPA, and was a member of the National Honor Society.  Jace coaches the 8 & U swimmers at Wittington Creek.

 

Katie Keel (Webb) will attend UNC this fall, where she hopes to pursue a journalism and communication major.  She has been a member of Pilot for 4 years, after switching from competitive diving during her freshman year.  As a sprint freestyler and breaststroker, she is a member of the Pilot Short Course National Team, multiple-time High School All-American, and a State High School Meet Finalist for 4 years.  She graduated with a 3.9 GPA and was a member of the National Honor Society.  She works as a lifeguard at AJCC.

 

Chris Kelly (Morristown West) will attend the University of South Carolina, where he plans to study sports marketing in the business department.  Chris is the Pilot veteran, with 12 years on the team.  He is an incredibly versatile swimmer, with his favorite events including the IM, backstroke, and butterfly.  He was a High School State Meet Finalist for 4 years and a multiple-time High School All-American.  He recently earned his National Open cut for the 200 IM. He is also a talented piano player, and until recently, competed in State piano competitions. 

 

Jen Muhlheim (Webb) will attend Southern Methodist University (SMU) in Texas.  She is interested in anthropology/criminal justice.  She has been a member of Pilot for 5 years, and her favorite events are the 100 backstroke and 100 freestyle.  She was a High School State Meet Finalist for 4 years and multiple-time High School All-American.  At Webb, she was a member of the Webb Chamber Singers and All-State Choir.  She volunteered over 157 hours to projects including the Sertoma Center, the Fibromyalgia Resource Center, and Special Olympics.

 

Adam Parker (Maryville) will attend the University of Georgia. He is interested in studying pre-med. Specializing in the 200 backstroke and 200 freestyle events, he has been a member of Pilot for 4 years, and is a member of the Pilot Short Course National Team, High School State Meet Finalist, and junior Olympic record breaker.  He graduated with a 4.38 GPA and was a member of the National Honor Society and a Scholastic All-American.  He is involved with Habitat for Humanity, Community Food Connection, and has worked as a lifeguard, swim lesson teacher, and assistant at Maryville Surgical Center

 

AJ Tipton (Bearden) will swim for the University of Arizona, where he plans to pursue a pre-business program of study.  He is a member of the Pilot short-course and long-course National teams. AJ was a member of the U.S. National Junior Team traveling to Melbourne last January, and a 2008 Olympic Trial competitor in the 100 fly, 200 fly, and 400 freestyle events. He swam for Pilot for 4 years, and has been a member of the Southeastern Zones team twice. AJ is a three-time High School State Champion.

 

Jenna Voelkert (CAK) will attend Clemson University.  She is interested in pursuing a degree in nursing.  Jenna specializes in the 50- and 100-freestyle.  She has been a member of Pilot since moving to Knoxville in the 8th grade.  She was a High School State Meet finalist for 3 years, and a multiple-time High School All American. She graduated with a GPA of 4.02, and was in National Honor Society, a Tennessee Scholar, Scholastic All-American, and a summa cum laude graduate with valedictory status.  She also participated in varsity volleyball. 

 

Alexandra Wessel (Knoxville Catholic) will attend American University in Washington, DC.  She plans to pursue the A.U. custom major of Communications/Law/Economics/Government. Alex has been a member of Pilot for three years, following her family’s move from Cape Cod.  She was a High School State Meet Finalist, specializing in the 100- and 200-freestyle. She graduated with a 3.5 GPA.  She was a member of the Latin club and played the flute in the band. She works at AJCC as a lifeguard and swim instructor.

 

Cecilia Wille (Farragut) will attend Wittenberg University in Ohio. She plans to study biology, and then pursue a career in nursing.  Cecilia has been a member of Pilot for 5 years, and specializes in the 100 and 200 freestyle. She was a member of the Farragut High 200 and 400 freestyle relay finals teams at the High School State Meet in 2007 and 2008. She graduated with a 3.7 GPA, and was on the newspaper staff, served as a peer tutor, and played the French horn in the band.  Cecilia works as a lifeguard at Sugarwood pool.

 

Class of 2011

    Allison Fethe- University of North Florida
    Claire Galdun- University of Virginia
    Kevin Glatt-    Middlebury College

    Jessica Hill-  Indiana University
    Lindsay Goodman- Georgia Southern
    Cameron Higdon-  Western Kentucky University

    Sarah Kortebein -  Tufts University

    Kelly Newsome- 

    Hunter Owen – Georgia Tech University

    Nathan Smith- Kenyon College
    Jesse Sorrell-   Kenyon College
 

Class of 2010

     Franklin Ammons- University of the South

     Meredith Ayres- Stanford University

     Bryden Banister- Trinity College

     Annie Broome- Pilot Aquatic Club

     Laura Funari-    Gardner-Webb

     Emily Jacobssen- Kenyon College

     Brad Jones-    University of Iowa

     Rick McKellar- Harvard University

     Brittany Oxley- Denison University

     Jordyn Pasley- Georgia Southern University

     Drew Showalter- Georgia Tech University

     Katie Taylor-   Western Kentucky University

     Kaitlin Wojnar- Amherst College

 

Class of 2009

    Sarah McCall- University of Tennessee

    Ashley Quinn- University of Tennessee

    Erin Phillips- Centre College

    Jimmy Tagtenhorst- Centre College


Class of 2008

    Denise Koessler- College of Wooster

    Anna Miller - University of Georgia

    Brendan Mitchell- Harvard University

     Grace Whiteside- Gardner-Webb
 

Post Grad

    Davis Tarwater- Club Wolverine