The UCLA Bruins have started off the recruiting season with a verbal commitment from Isabella Goldsmith, an all-around talent out of Las Vegas, Nevada. Goldsmith’s coach at Sandpipers of Nevada, Ron Aitken, confirmed the news with SwimSwam.
Goldsmith is a 2016 Olympic Trials qualifier in the 400m IM, having swum 4:54.35 at 2014 Summer Juniors in Irvine. This year her championship meet was NCSA Summer Championships, where she finished top-eight in 50 free, 50 breast, 50 fly, and 200 IM. She also finaled in the 100 free and 100/200 breaststrokes.
Goldsmith also swims for Palo Verde High School in Las Vegas, whose girls joined their male counterparts in winning the Nevada state title at the 2015 Division I championships last May. Goldsmith’s top times over the last two seasons include:
- 100 free – 50.22
- 200 free – 1:49.41
- 100 back – 56.49
- 200 back – 2:00.76
- 100 breast – 1:02.53
- 100 fly – 55.37
- 200 IM – 2:01.21
- 400 IM – 4:20.39
With that kind of versatility, Goldsmith is the kind of utility player that coaches dream about, and indeed Goldsmith should be able to fill in wherever Coach Cyndi Gallagher needs her. UCLA has had a couple of very strong recruiting years in a row but they have yet to fill their weak spot in the breaststrokes. Goldsmith’s 100 breast would have been right on the B/C-final bubble at 2015 Pac-12s, which would have been important points in an event where UCLA only sported one scorer who returns this season (senior-to-be Allison Wine, 2nd place). Goldsmith would have made the B finals in the 200/400 IMs, as well.
If you have a commitment to report, please send an email to [email protected]
This article has been corrected; originally we reported that UCLA did not have a finalist in the 100 breast at Pac-12s.
Allison Wine placed second in finals for UCLA in the 100 breastroke at the Pac12 Championships in 2015.