By Chris Bennett
CORRESPONDENT
Brandon Ambrose’s time as a swimmer in academia isn’t over just yet.
On Friday, Ambrose signed a Letter of Intent to swim for West Virginia Institute of Technology in Montgomery, West Virginia.
WVU Tech is the largest regional campus of West Virginia University, which is located in Morgantown. The two schools are roughly three hours apart.
WVU Tech competes in the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA), primarily as an independent.
“He has been a very driven athlete who works hard and puts forth great effort to get better and better each year,” Elks coach Jamie Richardson said. “He has trained hard during the offseason to always improve his times.”
Ambrose enjoyed a stellar career with the Elks. He earned Rookie of the Year Honors as a freshman and Second Team All-Southern Lakes Conference as a sophomore.
Ambrose first qualified for the WIAA Division 2 State Meet as a junior, and competed in the 400-freestyle relay, where he finished fourth with Luke Gorst, Matt Zimmerman and Sam Johnson.
As senior Ambrose qualified for state in the 100 backstroke and 200 and 400 freestyle relays. He finished 15 in the backstroke.
Ambrose finished 13th in the 400 freestyle relay with Gorst, Bormann and Johnson. He finished 16th in the 200 freestyle relay, also with Gorst, Bormann and Johnson.
Ambrose also finished his time as an Elk as a four-time letterwinner.
The Elks finished third in the Southern Lakes Conference; Platteville/Lancaster won. The Elks won the Janesville Craig Invitational Dec. 1 at Craig.
Ambrose is one of nine Elks seniors leaving the program, along with Bormann, Gorst, Colton Bushey, BJ Himsel, Caleb Holte, Hayden Ingersoll, Gavin Lanser and Kent Stringham.
“He has been a great team leader over his high school career,” Richardson.
