Husker Swim and Dive Adds Three

Nebraska Head Coach Pablo Morales announced the signing of the top swimmer in the state of South Dakota and a pair of outstanding young divers to bolster NU’s swimming and diving program in 2022-23, when he officially announced the Husker signing class on Saturday, Nov. 13.

The three-member class, which features the No.1 recruit in South Dakota and No. 415 recruit in the nation Gena Jorgenson, also includes Kelsey Clairmont, a 16-time Canadian Junior National finalist, and Ellee Delcamp, a home-grown Husker and 11-time qualifier for the USA Diving Zone Championships.

The No. 1 recruit in the state of South Dakota in 2022, Jorgenson swam to a 1,650-meter victory in the Speedo Sectionals in spring of 2021.

“Gena is a great fit for our Husker program,” Morales said. “She is fully dedicated in the classroom and the pool.  She has enjoyed steady improvement, despite the interrupted seasons caused by the pandemic. She will get a chance to be a key performer in our mid-distance and distance events.”

Ranked as the No. 415 recruit in the nation by swimcloud.com, Jorgenson showed her versatility by winning all seven individual events at the state championships for four consecutive seasons. In July of 2019 at the Long Course Championships, her state victories included the 400 IM (5:08.29), 100 free (59.91), 800 free (9:24.34), 1,500 free (17:34.58), 200 back (2:23.56), 400 free (4:32.64) and the 200 free (2:06.60). 

On top of her long-course success, Jorgenson was a five-time South Dakota Short Course champion (March 2019) in the 400 IM (4:30.05), 1,650 free (17:14.47), 200 back (2:04.35), 500 free (5:02.97), and the 1,000 free (10:18.71).

Jorgenson holds seven individual state records in long-course meters and three overall records in short-course yards.

Jorgenson has helped her Aberdeen Swim Club to five consecutive third-place finishes at the South Dakota Swimming Championship.

“I chose Nebraska because the academic area I am thinking about studying had good opportunities to push and challenge me, as well as the opportunities post-undergrad,” Jorgenson said. “I also really loved the team atmosphere and the coaches and the girls on the team. The school is not too far but still far enough from home to make it feel comfortable and still make me feel independent.”

As an elite diver that has continuously earned her way to compete with the best, Clairmont is expected to bolster the Huskers’ diving squad. 

“We are very excited to have Kelsey join the team,” Nebraska Head Diving Coach Landon Marzullo said. “She is a very accomplished Canadian diver and will bring a lot to this team.”

Clairmont is a 16-time Canadian Junior National finalist, earning spots in the finals in platform, one-meter and three-meter diving events for three consecutive years from 2018 to 2020. She was also a Western Canada Summer Games finalist on the one- and three-meter boards, claiming a bronze medal in the three meter.

Clairmont also was named the Sask Top Female Diver on three occasions (2016, 2017, 2019). She has trained under Coach Laura Desautels at Regina Diving Club in Regina, Saskatchewan, Canada. Within her club team, she was named the 2020 Top Senior Diver and the 2017 Top Junior Diver.

“I chose Nebraska because I really like Landon (Marzullo) and think he is an amazing coach,” Clairmont said. “I am excited to see the progress we can make together on my diving. When I met the dive team on my visit we had a lot of fun and they feel like family already.”

While Clairmont will join the Big Red as an international recruit, Marzullo and the diving program were also able to stay close to home with the signing of Seward’s Ellee Delcamp. An 11-time USA diving Zone Championships qualifier, Delcamp brings national experience that will strengthen the Nebraska diving group. She has competed at the USA Zone Championships four times (2017-21) and placed among the top 15 six times. 

“We are excited to welcome Ellee to the team,” Marzullo said.  “She has worked hard to get to where she is and will be a great asset to our Nebraska swim and dive team.”

Delcamp placed 12th in the platform (315.70), 17th in the three meter (382.55) and 26th in the one meter (318.95) in her most recent USA Diving Zone appearance. She also captured a seventh-place platform finish at zones in 2019.

Delcamp has consistently competed at the USA Diving Junior Region Championships. In 2021, she put up a pair of 13th-place finishes in the one- and three-meter dives.

Delcamp also competed at the Orlando All-Star Invitational (2018-20). In 2019, she notched a fifth-place dive on three meter (304.90), finished sixth on platform (213.10) and took seventh on one meter (254.00). In 2020, Delcamp posted a score of 242.40 on platform in Orlando.

Delcamp trained as a gymnast as a youngster but shifted to diving as a seventh grader. She trained at the Nebraska Diving Club under coach Kris Hoffman.

“I chose Nebraska because the resources that are provided to their student-athletes are outstanding and second to none,” Delcamp said. “I also like the environment on campus and within the athletic program. The swimming and diving staff are very welcoming. I like the size of the diving program and got along really well with the divers. The academic support for athletes is exceptional.”