Just because we’re in the heat of the summer, doesn’t mean there aren’t any high school athletes making waves.

Eric Flemming, who graduated earlier this summer, from Spanish Springs High School, has made college plans after signing to swim at Mesa State College in Grand Junction, Colo. in July.

Flemming grew up in Colorado for 13 years and wanted to move back to the state. Plus, Mesa State College has upgraded many of its facilities, including the pool, which doesn’t hurt when recruiting swimmers.

The Mavericks are getting a versatile athlete in Flemming, who played three sports for Spanish Springs. Along with running cross country, skiing and swimming, Flemming was a member of the marching band for three years and an honors student.

Flemming wasn’t sure he would get the opportunity to swim in college, but he signed up for a college recruiting network, and the coach for Mesa State College showed a lot of interest. Former Cougar and three-time state champion Kirdy Franco was noticed by Boise State in a similar fashion last summer.

He isn’t sure which races he’ll swim for Mesa State College of the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference, but he says the freestyle, backstroke and butterfly are his best strokes in that order.

This past spring, he was seventh at the Northern 4A championships in the 100-yard backstroke and ninth in the 200 freestyle. He was also part of two Cougars relays that performed well, claiming fourth in the 200-yard medley and third in the 400 freestyle.

The 400-yard freestyle relay qualified for state, where the Cougars came in seventh.

Flemming received a couple academic scholarships to help cover the costs for college, but the Division-II swimming program did not have any more athletics scholarships to offer this year. Mesa State College had announced 14 signings at the beginning of July.

Flemming hopes he’ll receive an athletic scholarship next year.

Still, Flemming is just excited for a shot to continue his swimming career.

“I’m really excited because it’s something I’ve been wanting to do since I started swimming in high school,” Flemming said. “I was a little skeptical it would happen at first, but once I signed up for the National Scouting Report, it became a reality.”