Arkansas Inks British Sprinter for 2020, Brings Talented Incoming Class to 10

Elishah Santiago May 5, 2020

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. – Arkansas swimming and diving head coach Neil Harper has signed British sprinter Emily Barclay to an already talented incoming class for the upcoming 2020-21 season.

Barclay joins Isabella Cothern, the top-rated recruit out of Arkansas, Hannah Cech, one of the best IMers from Ohio, Bradi Jones, the top breaststroker from Alabama, and Jordyn Feiwell, one of the best divers out of Indiana this year. Other future Razorbacks arriving in the fall are Serena Gould, Anna Ervin, Abby Pfeifer from Texas, Lizzy Linartas from Florida and Grayson Payne from Tennessee.

Emily Barclay | 5-7

Bolton, England

Parklands High School

Bolton Metro Swim Club

Barclay won silver in the 50 free at the 2019 British Swimming Championships in Glasgow, just behind World Championship finalist and Arkansas school record holder Anna Hopkin. Barclay represented Great Britain at the World University Games in Napoli last summer and her best times converted to short course are a 21.97 in the 50 free, 49.16 in the 100 free and 23.44 in the 50 fly.

Isabella Cothern | 5-6

Jonesboro, Arkansas

Jonesboro High School

Parkway Swim Club

Cothern is the top-rated recruit out of the Natural State as well as a six-time individual state champion while also holding two records in the 6A and 7A division in the 50 freestyle and 100 breaststroke. The Jonesboro, Arkansas, native, is the record holder in the 5A 50 free. She was part of Jonesboro’s 2019 Arkansas High School 5A state champ squad and the 2019 5A East Conference champions.

Hannah Cech | 5-8

West Chester, Ohio

Lakota East High School

Lakota Family YMCA

Cech is a four-time YMCA Nationals qualifier, a three-time qualifier for the Ohio high school swimming championships and a two-time Winter Junior Nationals qualifier. In 2017, the West Chester, Ohio, native, won the mile (17:51.14) at the Great Lakes Zones YMCA Championships. In 2018, she went onto win the long course YMCA Nationals in the 400IM. Cech was a runner-up in the 400 IM at the 2019 Long Course YMCA Nationals. She is currently fifth in the state in the 500 free, eighth in the 200 IM and holds the 200 IM (2:04.36), 500 free (4:54.03) and 100 free (52.26) record at her high school. Cech was nominated for the 2020 Athlete of the Year in her school’s conference.

Bradi Jones | 5-11

Opelika, Alabama

Opelika High School

Opelika Swim team

Jones produced a big 2019 as one of the top breaststrokers in Alabama. Not only was Jones an AHSAA 100-yard breaststroke state champion, but she was also a Southeastern 100 (1:03.37) and 200 breast (2:18.31) champion.

Jordyn Feiwell | 5-1

Carmel, Indiana

Laurel Springs High School

Ripfest Diving

Feiwell is a springboard and platform diver and has had various achievements throughout her career. The Caramel, Indiana, native is one of the top divers out of Indiana this year and is going to be a phenomenal addition to the team. She was a top three finalist on the 3-meter at the USA Diving Regional Championship in 2014, 2015, 2016 and 2017, a top three finalist in the 1-meter at the USA Diving Regional Championship in 2014, 2016, 2017 and 2019 and a top three finalist on platform at the USA Diving Zone Championship in 2016. She is a two-time qualifier for the USA Diving Senior National Championships during the years 2018 and 2019 and a five-time qualifier for the USA Diving Junior National Championships in 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016 and 2018.

Serena Gould | 5-8

Houston, Texas

Kingwood High School

Bluetide Aquatics

The UIL All-American finished in the top eight at the Texas 6A State Championships in the 50 and 100 free. At the championships this past year, she was a part of a third-place finish in the 400 free relay and was a Futures qualifier in the 50 and 100 free.

Anna Ervin | 5-6

Cypress, Texas

Cy Far High School

Cypress Fairbanks Swim Club

Ervin is a Texas 6A B finalist in the 100 fly from 2017-18, along with being a 2018 6A runner-up with two first-place finishes in the 200 free and 400 free relay. She is a four-time Junior National qualifier and a three-time Futures finalist in the 100 fly.

Abby Pfiefer | 5-10

Austin, Texas

Lake Travis High School

Lost Creek Aquatics

Pfiefer is a two-time 2019 long course Speedo Futures finalist in the 100 back (1:05.95) along with being a four-time NCSA qualifier in the 400 IM (4:29.47), 200 Free (1:51.80) and 100 back (56.77). She was a Winter Junior Nationals Qualifier in the 200-yard back (2:00.33) and 200 meter back (2:20.30). The three-time finalist at the Texas 6A High School State Championship was a B finalist in the 100 back in 2019 and finished in 10th place in the 100 back in 2020. She was a Texas 3-6A high school regional runner-up in the 100 back in 2019 and 2020. The Austin, Texas, native, was a part of setting the 400 free relay record for the Lake Travis High school swimming and diving team just this past year.

Lizzy Linartas | 5-11

Lake Mary, Florida

Lake Brantley High School

WPHS Blue Dolfins

Linartas placed ninth at the Florida 4A State Championships in the 100 fly her senior year. She was a Female MVP two years in a row, a four-year varsity letterman, a team captain and received the BD Most Improved Award in 2017. She earned second-team all-conference honors in the 200 medley, 400 free relay and 200 free. During the 2019 USA Swimming Futures Championship, Linartas qualified for the 100 free, 100 fly and 200 fly and was a finalist in the 100 free (59.07) and 200 fly clocking in with a time of 2:21.17. She received Seminole Athletic Conference All-Academic Honors as well as graduating Magna Cum Laude with academic honors (4.1 GPA).

Grayson Payne | 5-7

Cleveland, Tennessee

Homeschooled

Ooltewah Swim Club

Payne has broken several records during her swimming career, including the 100 (55.49) and 200 (2:02.89) backstroke at the Summer Jr. Nationals in 2018 and the long course 100 (1:04.15) and 200 (2:19.33) back in 2019. Just this past year, she qualified for the U.S Open, breaking the 100 (52.12), 200 (1:52.59) and 500 (5:05.45) free records.

Quoting Head Coach Neil Harper

“I am extremely happy with our recruiting class,” said Harper. “Last year, we were aiming to better our Top 20 finish at NCAAs. With both our best divers back and only graduating one scoring senior we are confident this could be our best year ever. This year, we have signed swimmers that will contend at the SEC and NCAA Championships. This past year’s team created great chemistry and a culture that our recruits fell in love with. It is an exciting time to be a Razorback, as we continue to work on being the most improved team in the country again.”

-For more information on Arkansas women’s Swimming and Diving follow @RazorbackSD on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook.