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After initially having committed to UMBC, Karsen Pena of the Marlins of Raleigh is staying in-state with a commitment to UNC-Wilmington under new head coach Bobby Guntoro. Pena’s older sister was coached by Guntoro at NC State, where she graduated from in 2017 after swimming for four years.
Due to unforeseen circumstances, I have decided to withdraw my commitment from UMBC. I will now be joining the class of 2025 at UNCW. I am so excited to be able to swim for Coach Bobby, who my older sister also swam under during her collegiate career. I am looking forward to seeing how much I can grow with the help of the great coaching staff at UNCW. Go seahawks!!
TOP TIMES (SCY)
- 100 fly – 56.02
- 200 fly – 2:03.39
- 200 IM – 2:05.32
- 400 IM – 4:23.20
- 200 free – 1:53.38
- 500 free – 4:58.78
- 1000 free – 10:17.43
- 1650 free – 17:16.75
Since Pena initially committed to UMBC in the winter, she’s dropped a second in the 100 fly, two in the 200 IM, three in the 200 fly, four in the 200 free, five in the 400 IM and 12 in the 500 free.
At the 2021 North Carolina HS 4A State Championships, Pena finished top-12 in both the 200 IM and 100 fly.
In their first year under Guntoro, the Seahawk women were runners-up at the 2021 CAA Championships. At that meet, Pena would’ve made A-finals in the 200 IM, 400 IM, 100 fly and 200 fly and the B-final of the 500 free. She would’ve also finished eighth in the 1650 free, so Pena will be an immediate triple A-final threat next season.
Pena joins Morgan Kondratick, Peyton Wilson, Katie Knorr, Reece Alexander, Sarah Rogillio and Molly Braun in UNC-Wilmington’s class of 2025.
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