USC has been quietly gathering up the breaststrokers from the class of 2015. First it was Maryland’s Carsten Vissering and Marin County’s Riley Scott; now it’s Southern California’s Kirsten Vose, who made her commitment to the Trojans today.
Vose is a senior at Flintridge Sacred Heart Academy in La Canada, California. Vose won the 100 breast at the 2013 CIF-Southern Section Division 1 championships as a sophomore; she was runner-up in 2012 and 2014. In the 200 IM, she placed fifth in 2013 and second in 2014.
Vose also swims for Rose Bowl Aquatics in Pasadena. She is a 2016 Olympic Trials qualifier in the 100m breast, and just a fingernail off in the 200m breast. She is also a Junior Nationals-level sprint freestyler and IMer. Vose made significant leaps in breast and IM from freshman to sophomore year. From sophomore to junior year she had huge drops in freestyle. Her best times over the last two seasons are:
| 100y breast: 1:01.99 | 100m breast: 1:11.10 |
| 200y breast: 2:13.73 | 200m breast: 2:35.08 |
| 200y IM: 2:00.45 | 200m IM: 2:20.03 |
| 50y free: 23.30 | 50mfree: 27.25 |
| 100y free: 50.25 | 100m free: 56.89 |
| 200y free: 1:47.98 | 200m free: 2:07.49 |
Vose will enter a Trojan squad that will have just lost its big breaststroke scorers. Kasey Carlson was a consistent A-finalist in the 100 breast at NCAAs, while Andrea Kropp has given the Trojans A points and B points in the 200; both will have graduated by the time Vose and Scott begin their four years. Plus, they will be outstanding training partners for one another.
Trojan coach Dave Salo looks to be putting together a group that will not only add strength to USC’s intercollegiate campaign, but will also form a strong training peer group leading into the 2016 US Olympic Team Trials.
Very talented girl, and another CIF-SS Div I champion going to USC or Cal or Stanford. Hint for other programs, you go down there and attend that meet in person.