MacKenzie Rumrill Verbally Commits to Arizona Class of 2015

The Arizona Wildcats, playing cat-and-mouse in this fall recruiting season so far with their Pac 12 rivals at Stanford and USC, have landed another verbal commit. MacKenzie Rumrill from the Bearcat Swim Club in Oregon committed to Arizona this week, joining Sam Senczyszyn in the Wildcats’ recruiting list so far.

Rumrill’s best events entering her senior year of high school are the 100 yard fly, where she’s been 53.64, and the 200 yard IM, where she’s been 2:00.74; she’s been 2:19.22 in the long course version of that same race.

It appears as though Rumrill has only scratched the surface, though. She’s been 55.9 in the 100 yard back, 1:04.11 in the 100 yard breaststroke, and 51.48 in the 100 yard freestyle. Clearly her butterfly skills is what was attracting a top 10 school like Arizona, but her potential in the IM with no weak stroke has to be very enticing.

Focusing on that 100 fly, though, she will immediately have an impact for Arizona. She’ll immediately battle for spots on the Wildcats’ “A” medley relays with Katja Hajdinjak (54.0 last year) and Leticia Lelli (54.50), both of whom will be seniors when Rumrill arrives on campus.

So far, Rick DeMont, in his first year as a head coach after 25 years as a top Arizona assistant, is having no trouble leading his staff, including women’s recruiting coordinator Brandy Collins, to some impressive early commitments.

Arizona has remained competitive at NCAA’s over the last few years, and they’ve continued to develop swimmers, but they’ve struggled with depth.With two swimmers already who should be NCAA qualifiers, at least, as freshmen, that should start to turn around in the 2015-2016 season, especially if they maintain their current pace.