BERKELEY – With a class comprised of seven swimmers and three divers, the California women's swimming & diving team signed 10 newcomers to National Letters of Intent Wednesday, giving the Golden Bears a big influx of talent for the 2017-18 season.
 
The list of recruits features several who participated in the U.S. Olympic Trials this past summer, in addition to a 2016 Olympian in Robin Neumann, who swam both the 200-meter freestyle and on the 800-meter free relay for the Netherlands in Rio.
 
"I think the biggest thing is that this a group of true student-athletes and women who really understand what Berkeley is about and what the swimming program is about," head coach Teri McKeever said. "They're looking for that level of world-class academics and athletics. We have some women who can help us in the breaststroke and IM, in particular, and I think some people who have a great upside in their performances."
 
Among the breaststrokers is Dannie Dilsaver of Lincoln, Neb., who is a five-time individual and six-time relay state champion and swam three events at the Olympic Trials. In addition, Ali Harrison (Ventura, Calif.), Alexa Skorus-Neely (Canyon Country, Calif.) and Natalie Tuck (Palo Alto, Calif.) all have seen success in the stroke. Harrison competed in the 100 breast at the Olympic Trials, with Skorus-Neely earning All-America honors in both the 100 breast and 200 IM, and Tuck specializing in the free, breast and IM and having swum in the FINA World Cup in Hong Kong this past month.
 
Two others to have competed at the U.S. Olympic Trials are Elizabeth Bailey of Atlanta, Ga., in the 100-meter butterfly and Sophie Krivokapic-Zhou (Santa Clara, Calif.), in both the backstroke and fly
 
All three divers hail from California in Jackie Im (San Diego), Kathleen Navas (San Jose) and Briana Thai (Alhambra) with each bringing competitive energy on the 1-meter and 3-meter boards and platform.
 
The following are brief profiles of all 10 of the Bears' newcomers for the 2017-18 campaign.
 
Elizabeth Bailey
Atlanta, Ga./Marist School
Butterfly/IM
 
Competed in the 100m fly at the 2016 U.S. Olympic Trials … member of the Dean's List with at least a 4.0 GPA every semester at the Marist School … ranks among the top 100 in U.S. history in the 100m fly (15-16 age group) with a best of 1:01.14 … helped her team to the Junior Nationals title in 2013 and to Georgia state crowns in both 2015 and '16 … a two-time Scholastic All-American … member of the National Honor Society and the French National Honor Society.
 
Dannie Dilsaver
Lincoln, Neb./Lincoln Southwest HS
Breaststroke/IM
 
Placed fifth in the 200m IM and seventh in the 400 IM at 2016 Speedo Summer Junior Nationals … the 2016 Nebraska state champion in the 200 IM (2:00.57), 100 breast (1:02.24), 200 medley relay and 400 free relay … also captured state crowns in the 200 IM and 200 medley relay as a sophomore in 2015 … set two individual and two relay state records and helped team to a pair of state titles … competed at the 2016 U.S. Olympic Trials in the 100m breast, 200m IM and 400m IM, with a best of 39th in the 200m IM (2:17.80) … member of the National Honor Society and a multi-time Scholastic All-American.
 
Ali Harrison
Ventura, Calif./Ventura HS
Breaststroke
 
Ranks among the top 50 all-time in the U.S. in the 100-yard breast (15-16 age group) with a best time of 1:01.45 and among the top 40 in U.S. history in the 100-meter breast (15-16 age group) at 1:10.26 … took 74th in the 100m breast at the 2016 U.S. Olympic Trials (1:11.74) … a two-time Academic All-American … also a two-time team MVP and three-time county athlete of the year … owns school records in the 100 breast, 100 free, 200 medley relay and 400 free relay.
 
Jackie Im
San Diego, Calif./Torrey Pines HS
Diving
 
The 2016 California CIF San Diego Section champion on 1-meter and took fifth on 1-meter at the state meet … as a sophomore in 2015, was the section runner-up on 1-meter … a qualifier for 2016 AT&T USA Diving Nationals on 1-meter (age 16-18) … this past summer, placed fourth on 1-meter at the 2016 USA Diving National Zone F Meet (16-18 age group) … earned her school's Coaches Award … a competitive gymnast for nine years … older sister, Jessica, graduated from Cal in 2016.
 
Sophie Krivokapic-Zhou
Santa Clara, Calif./Santa Clara HS
Backstroke/Butterfly
 
Ranks among the top 100 on the U.S. list (15-16 age group) in the 100m back and 100m fly … competed at the 2016 U.S. Olympic Trials in the 100m back, 200m back and 100m fly, with a best finish of 35th in the 200m back (2:14.30) … a three-time team MVP … among her top times in yards are 53.50 in the 100 back, 1:56.79 in the 200 back and 53.67 in the 100 fly … participated in the USA Swimming National Select Camp in 2014 and was a member of the Pacific Swimming All-Star team.
 
Kathleen Navas
San Jose, Calif./Home Schooled
Diving
 
At the 2016 USA Diving National Zone E meet (16-18 age group), took home first place on 1-meter, fifth on 3-meter and third on platform … in the 14-15 age group, won both 3-meter and platform competitions at the 2015 zone meet … reached the semifinals at all three heights at 2015 USA Diving AT&T Nationals (14-15 age group) … qualified for USA Diving Nationals six times … an AP Scholar with Distinction and  National AP Scholar … both of her parents graduated from Cal … has played the violin for 14 years and is an orchestra concertmaster.
 
Robin Neumann
Amsterdam, the Netherlands/Caland Lyceum
Freestyle/Backstroke
 
Competed in the 200m free (26th) and 800m free relay (13th) for the Netherlands at the 2016 Rio Olympics … qualified for the 2016 World Short-Course Championships in Canada this December … swam at the European Youth Festival in 2011 and the Youth Olympic Games in 2014 … helped the Dutch 800m free relay to a third-place finish at the 2016 European Championships … placed fourth in the 200m free at the 2015 European Short-Course Championships … has lived in such cities as Paris, Frankfurt, Stockholm, London, Munich and Amsterdam.
 
Alexa Skorus-Neely
Canyon Country, Calif./Canyon HS
Breaststroke/Butterfly/IM
 
A USA Swimming Scholastic All-American in both 2014-15 and 2015-16 … earned All-America honors in the 200 IM the past three seasons and in the 100 breast last year … helped her 400 free relay to a win at the 2014 Short Course Junior Nationals … owns Canyon HS records in the 50 free, 100 breast and 200 IM … also set Southern California Swimming records (15-16 age group) in the 200 and 400 medley relay … top times are 1:02.81 in the 100 breast, 2:17.78 in the 200 breast and 2:00.38 in the 200 IM.
 
Briana Thai
Alhambra, Calif./Alhambra HS
Diving
 
Competed at USA Diving Nationals over the summer … in the 16-18 age group, took second on 3-meter and 11th on platform … at the 2016 National Zone F Meet, placed fifth on 3-meter and sixth on 1-meter in the senior women division, while she was second on platform and fourth on 3-meter in the 16-18 age group … won the CIF Southern Section title on 1 meter … at the 2015 national meet, was fourth on platform (ages 16-18), while she was second on 1-meter, 3-meter and platform at the Zone F championships.
 
Natalie Tuck
Palo Alto, Calif./Castillaja School
Freestyle/Breaststroke/IM
 
Competed in the FINA World Cup in Hong Kong this past October … a two-time Scholastic All-American … named first-team all-league three times … set a school record in the 500 free and placed seventh in the state in that event last year … worked as an assistant high school physics teacher over the summer.