BREA, Calif. --- As Head Coach Ryan Kauth continues to build Biola Swimming & Diving into a program that can compete at the national level in NCAA Division II, he didn't have to look too far from home to find a very important piece.

Kauth adds Liza Parahnevich, who swims IM and freestyle and already has times that would put her close to NCAA Division II Championship qualification in almost every event she swims. She's either at or within hundredths of seconds of the 'B' qualifying standards in every freestyle event 500 yards or shorter and is also at the 'B' standard in the 400-IM.

She'll come to Biola from Brea Olinda High School and she's also been a part of Elite Aquatics Sports team (EAST) based in Anaheim. She holds four records at Brea Olinda (two individual, two relay) and was the CIF Consolation Champion in the 50-freestyle.

Parahnevich was the league MVP her freshman season and earned the "Wildcat Award", which is essentially her team MVP, multiple years as well. She captains her club team and also spent time during her high school career volunteering at St. Jude Hospital.

She's a stellar student earning scholar-athlete status throughout high school, and also being an AP Scholar.  She plans to study nursing and go on to a career as a registered nurse.

"I chose Biola because I could tell that I would be able to progress as a student-athlete in this university's atmosphere," said Parahnevich. "When I was trying to decide which university to go to, I knew Biola was a match for me because I wanted a tight-knit family aspect in my chosen college; that is exactly what I experienced on the visit."

Catch Liza in the red and black in Lansing Pool beginning in fall of 2019.