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Tessa Christiansen of Alamo Area Aquatic Association will stay in state next fall, as she sent her verbal commitment to SMU. She is a Summer Junior Nationals Qualifier, 2024 Scholastic All American, and NISCA All American out of San Antonio, Texas and currently a senior at Ronald Reagan High School.
An active member within her community, Christiansen volunteers with Respite Care, the Woman’s Club of San Antonio, Texas Diaper Bank, the Bulverde Humane Society, and Haven for Hope.
I am so excited to announce my verbal commitment to continue my athletic swimming and academic career at Southern Methodist University!! I want to thank God for all my blessings and my mom, dad, sister, brother, grandfather, family, and friends for all their support! Thank you to Coach Doug, Coach Daniel, Coach Stephanie, Dave, Coach Rourke, and the SMU coaches, Coach Ozzie, Coach Alice, and Coach Mike! I am very proud to be a member of the SMU family!! PONY UP!!!
Christiansen is a 4x Texas HS 6A State Finalist. Her junior year campaign was highlighted by a 7th place finish in the 100 back (56.91) and 16th place finish in the 100 free (52.09). She also helped Ronald Reagan HS to a silver medal in the 400 free relay with a 51.68 split and anchored their 200 medley relay to a 5th place finish in a time of 23.75. She was the second highest scorer for Ronald Reagan HS, totalling 13 individual points to help the school to a 4th place finish overall in a field of 102 teams.
At Speedo Sectionals in Austin, Christiansen hit a series of personal bests. Most notably, she got under the US Open cut in the 200 back, touching in 2:16.74 to place 4th. She also hit PBs in the 100 free (58.80) and 100 fly (1:04.68) to come in 29th and 20th, respectively.
Best times SCY:
- 100 free: 51.37
- 200 free: 1:52.29
- 500 free: 4:59.77
- 100 back: 56.28
- 200 back: 1:58.31
SMU was 14th at their ACCs debut, and were led by diver Jaclynn Fowler with 27 points. Current junior Maddy Parker was both their top scoring swimmer and roster leader in the sprint freestyles last season with times of 22.26/48.09/1:45.69 across the 3 sprint free events. Christiansen would have ranked 4th in the 100 back and 3rd in the 200 back on SMU’s roster last season with her personal bests, slightly off the times of 53.1/1:56.2 that were needed to score at ACCs.
The Mustangs will look to rebuild a roster that has only 16 swimmers and divers listed this season. So far, along Christiansen, they have pulled in Emma Bibza (breast/IM), Ella Houston (distance free), Emma Hagberg (sprint free), and Anna Bonecka (breast) for their class of 2030.
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Wonderful. Congratulations! Pony Up!