LAS VEGAS (UNLVRebels.com) - The UNLV men's swimming and diving team have signed an impressive seven-member class for the 2019-20 season, head coach Ben Loorz announced Thursday.

"This class brings some major impact players who will be at the top of the WAC walking in," said Loorz. "Some of these incoming Rebel Men have already made a name for themselves competing in major international competitions this summer. We are excited to welcome them to campus in the fall. We expect this class to have huge and immediate impact for us in the WAC, and to have NCAA scoring capability in the future as well."

Among the highlights of the recruiting class are the two European representatives, Panagiotis Bolanos is from Athens, Greece, while Ognjen Maric, a top international swimmer, hails from Zagreb, Croatia.

Maric competed in the 2019 World Championships where he placed in the top 50 with a time of 1:50.84 LCM in the 200 Free. Maric is a versatile swimmer, specializing in freestyle, backstroke, and IM. Bolanos was a participant in the 2017 Junior World Championships in all three backstroke events, he has been a National Age Group record-holder in backstroke and has been one of the members of Greece's National Junior team while representing his country internationally since 2016. 

The rest of the class comes from the United States, starting with Manassas, Virginia native Steven Butler, who just finished competing at the 2019 Speedo Junior Nationals where he swam in the 100 Free (52.73 LCM), 100 Fly (56.62 LCM), and the 200 Free (1:56.23 LCM).

From California comes Chris Mykkanen (Irvine) and Cameron Castro (Long Beach). Mykkanen is one of the top distance swimmers coming out of California in 2019. He placed second at the state championships in the 500 Y free (4:24.69) and third in the 200 Y Free (1:38.13). Castro's father, Sal, swam from the Rebels and his mother, Maria, was an Athletic Trainer, making him a born Rebel legacy. He comes to the Rebels as a distance freestyler, and placed second at the 2018 Speedo Champion Series in the 1000 Y Free (9:30.03) and third in the 100 Y Free (46.96).  

Hailing from West Des Moines, Iowa is Jacob Keller who was a four-sport athlete in high school. He finished third at the state championships in the 50 Y Free (20.65) and fifth in the 100 Y Free (46.47).


Rounding out the incoming Rebel Men class is Aren Kariotis who is a Coeur D' Alene, Idaho native. Kariotis won the 100 Y Fly at state (49.01) and placed second in the 100 Y Back (52.28).

2019-20 UNLV Men's Swimming & Diving Recruiting Class

Panagiotis Bolanos (freshman)- Athens, Greece

100 Back- 55.70 LCM/ 200 Back-  2:01.27 LCM/ 200 free- 1:50.84 LCM

Steven Butler (freshman)- Manassas, Virginia

50 free-24.33 LCM/ 100 free-51.87 LCM/ 200 free-1:56.23 LCM

Cameron Castro (freshman)- Long Beach, California

500 free- 4:35.70/ 1000 free-9:24.55/ 1650 free- 15:46.00/ 400 IM-4:08.68

Aren Kariotis (freshman)- Coeur D'Alene, Idaho

100 fly-48.75/ 100 back-50.69/ 100 free-46.13/ 50 free- 20.99

Jacob Keller (freshman)- West Des Moines, Iowa

50 free- 20.65/ 100 free-45.90

Ognjen Maric (freshman)- Zagreb, Croatia

100 free-50.81 LCM 200 free- 1:49.47 LCM/ 100 Back- 56.6 LCM/ 200 IM LCM- 2:04.50

Chris Mykkanen (freshman)- Irvine, California

100 free- 44.81/ 200 free-1:38.13/ 500 free-4:24.46/ 1650-15:25.98

--UNLV--