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Winter Juniors qualifier Maddie VerDouw has announced her verbal commitment to swim and study at the University of South Dakota beginning in the fall of 2027. She publicized the news on SwimCloud, writing:
I am very excited to announce that I have verbally committed to continue my academic and athletic career on a division 1 level at University of South Dakota! I couldn’t be happier about my decision and I can’t wait to see what my future holds! Thank you to everyone who has supported me on this journey; parents, family, friends and coaches, I am forever grateful. I wouldn’t be here without it!! Special thank you to the coaching staff at USD, Coach Jason and Anthony, for this amazing opportunity and for making me feel right at home! Go Yotes!
A rising senior at Bismarck High School in North Dakota, VerDouw has competed for the school’s swim team since her freshman year. She also trains year-round with AquaStorm, where she specializes in breaststroke and IM.
VerDouw is coming off a 2025-26 short course season that saw her drop over five seconds in the 200 breast, over two seconds in the 200 IM, and exactly a second and a half in the 100 breast. She had her first big drops at the North Dakota High School Activities Association (NDHSAA) State Championships in November, where she won the 100 breast (1:02.80) and 200 IM (2:07.28) for the second straight year, with her time in the 200 IM still standing as her current lifetime best.
VerDouw qualified and competed at Winter Juniors – West for the first time in December, placing 38th in the 100 breast (1:03.41) before going on to post a then-personal best of 2:19.82 en route to 63rd in the 200 breast.
VerDouw closed out the season at the North Dakota 11 & Over State Championships in March, where she clocked career bests across all three of the breaststroke events, winning the 50 (29.10) and 100 (1:02.37) and taking silver in the 200 (2:17.28), while also placing second in the 500 free (5:18.32) and third in the 100 IM (59.88), 200 IM (2:07.73), and 400 IM (4:45.29).
Top SCY Times:
- 100 Breaststroke: 1:02.37
- 200 Breaststroke: 2:17.28
- 200 IM: 2:07.28
A Division I Mid-Major program, South Dakota competes in the Summit League, with the women’s team placing second out of seven teams at this past season’s conference championships. VerDouw’s current career bests would have finished fourth both breaststroke events and 16th in the 200 IM, setting her up to be an immediate contributor (and she still has two more seasons of training to go before her first conference meet).
VerDouw joins Jaya Stacy, Avery Schueller, and Abby Wright in committing to the Yotes’ class of 2031 so far.
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].
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