#20 Hank Rivers Hands Verbal Commitment to Cal for 2022-23

Fitter and Faster Swim Camps is the proud sponsor of SwimSwam’s College Recruiting Channel and all commitment news. For many, swimming in college is a lifelong dream that is pursued with dedication and determination. Fitter and Faster is proud to honor these athletes and those who supported them on their journey.

Long Beach, California native Hank Rivers has announced his verbal commitment to the University of California, Berkeley. A junior at Woodrow Wilson High School, Rivers is the #20 recruit on our Way Too Early List of top boys from the class of 2022. He will join the #1 recruit from the class, Zachary Tan, on the Golden Bears’ roster beginning in the fall of 2022.

“I am super excited to announce my verbal commitment to swim and study at Cal Berkeley! Thank you to everyone who has supported me to get to where I am today. Go bears! 💛🐻”

Rivers swims year-round with Golden West Swim Club and specializes in breast and free. As a freshman, he won the 100 breast at the 2019 CIF Southern Section Division 2 Championships (55.39) and placed 5th in the 50 free (21.20). He also swam breast (25.19) on the 5th-place 200 medley relay. His 100 breast time was 2.7 seconds faster than his previous PB of 58.0. Six months after high school season, Rivers dropped almost a second and a half off his breast at 2019 Winter Juniors West, making the A final with 53.91, the 5th-fastest time in prelims. He wound up 6th in the final. He also went a lifetime best in the 200 breast, dropping 4.3 seconds to finish with 2:05.68.

Rivers competed at Carlsbad Sectionals at the end of February 2020, but like almost all other swimmers in Southern California, he hasn’t had many opportunities to race since then. Southern California did not hold 18&U Winter Championships last December and is just now starting to bring back youth sports again. The CIF’s Southern Section will hold their four divisional championships at the end of the month.

Meanwhile, Rivers did swim at 2020 U.S. Open in Irvine. He took nearly .8 off his previous PB in the 100m breast to go 1:05.21. He also competed in the 100m free (53.37) and 200m breast (2:31.48). At the TYR 18&U Spring Cup Irvine at the end of April, he notched a PB in the 50m free (24.39).

Best Times:

• 100 breast – 53.91
• 200 breast – 2:05.68
• 50 free – 21.03
• 100 free – 45.05

Rivers will arrive just after Reece Whitley graduates, but he will overlap with Forrest Frazier, Jacques Lauffer, and Preston Niayesh.

If you have a commitment to report, please send an email with a photo (landscape, or horizontal, looks best) and a quote to [email protected].

About the Fitter and Faster Swim Tour 

Fitter & Faster Swim Camps feature the most innovative teaching platforms for competitive swimmers of all levels. Camps are produced year-round throughout the USA and Canada. All camps are led by elite swimmers and coaches. Visit fitterandfaster.com to find or request a swim camp near you.

FFT SOCIAL

Instagram – @fitterandfasterswimtour
Facebook – @fitterandfastertour
Twitter – @fitterandfaster

^{FFT is a SwimSwam partner.}