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Jeff Echols, a two-time USA Swimming Scholastic All-American from Winston-Salem, North Carolina, has committed to swim at Emory University beginning in the 2021-22 school year. He will join his older brother in the NCAA’s Division III; Todd Echols is currently a sophomore on the men’s swimming and diving team at Washington and Lee.
“Excited to announce my commitment to study and swim at Emory University! Huge thanks to my family, coaches, teachers, and friends for all their support. Go Eagles!”
Echols is a senior at R.J. Reynolds High School. He was runner-up in the 100 fly (49.56) and placed 7th in the 100 back (51.78) at the 2020 North Carolina High School 4A State Championships last February. He also swam fly (22.39) on the 11th-place 200 medley relay and led off (22.11) the 13th-place 200 free relay.
In club swimming, where he represents Enfinity Aquatic Club, Echols recently notched 4 lifetime bests at the 18&U Winter Championships hosted by North Carolina Swimming. Echols came in 6th in the 200 fly, 7th in the 100 fly, and 13th in the 100 back, and he finished 23rd in prelims of the 200 IM. He picked up new PBs in all four events. He competed at 2019 Winter Juniors East in the 100 fly and 200 fly. Before that, he had swum a trio of best times 100 free and 50/200 back) at Christianburg Sectionals, finaling in the 100 back, 200 back, 100 fly, and 200 IM. In LCM, he had some strong performances in the 100 back and 100/200 fly at Greensboro Futures in August 2019, qualifying for Winter Juniors in the 100 fly with 56.96 and clocking a 2:10.80 in the 200 fly.
Top SCY times:
- 200 fly – 1:49.09
- 100 fly – 49.28
- 200 back – 1:55.58
- 100 back – 50.96
- 50 back – 24.94
- 200 IM – 1:54.14
- 100 free – 48.64
His coach at Enfinity Aquatic Club, Tim Hillen, told SwimSwam “I have had the pleasure of coaching Jeff over the last 6 years. There is no one who models the complete student athlete better than Jeff. The athletic and character standard he has set at our program is a generational one. Cannot wait to see what comes next at the collegiate level.”
Echols’ best times 100/200 fly times would have scored in the A finals of the 2020 UAA Championships. He would have been on the B/C-final bubble in the 100 back. Moreover, he would have scored in the B final of the 200 fly at the 2019 NCAA Division III Championships. It took 48.89/1:49.57 to make it back in the 100/200 fly at 2019 NCAAs.
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