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Owen Ekk, who lives and trains in Tallahassee, Florida, but represents Canada internationally, has announced his verbal commitment to Stanford University for 2027-28. He wrote on social media:
“I’m excited to announce my verbal commitment to continue my academic and athletic career at Stanford University. I want to thank God, family, coaches, and friends for helping me get to this point. I’m also very grateful to Coach Terry, Coach John, and LJ. Finally want to thank Coach Dan and Coach Mike for giving me this opportunity. Go Cards 🌲”
Ekk, who will join his older brother Ethan Ekk (Stanford class of 2029) in Palo Alto, is the #10 recruit on our Way Too Early list of top boys’ swimmers in the high school class of 2027.
Ekk swims for Lawton Chiles High School and Area Tallahassee Aquatic Club. He won the 200 IM with a lifetime-best 1:47.07 at the FHSAA Class 4A State Championships last fall. He was runner-up in the 100 free (45.12) after having hit a PB of 43.91 in prelims. A month later, he competed at Winter Juniors East and lowered his 200 IM time to 1:46.51. He also added a PB in the 200 free (1:37.08) and finaled in the 100 free (19th), 200 free (18th), and 200 IM (18th).
Ekk closed out the 2024-25 short-course season racing his main events (50/100/200 free and 200 IM) at Florida Swimming’s Senior Championships, going a best time in the 50 free (20.38). He also competed in the 50 breast (25.90) and 100 breast (55.26), adding two more PBs to his portfolio.
The next month, he opened long-course season at the Canadian Open. He was runner-up in the 200 IM, 8th in the 50 free, 11th in the 200 free, and 15th in the 100 free, and he left with new PBs in the 50 free (23.57), 100 free (51.62), and 200 IM (2:04.59).
In June, at Canadian Trials, he dropped even more time in those events, going 23.35 in the 50 free, 51.24 in the 100 free, and 2:02.22 in the 200 IM. He also went a season-best 1:52.84 in the 200 free. Ekk won the 200 IM, was runner-up in the 50 free, and came in 4th in the 100/200 free.
Thanks to those performances, Ekk was selected to the Canadian Junior National Team that competed at World Aquatics Junior Championships. There, he swam the 50 free and 200 IM individually, and contributed to Canada’s 400 free relay and 800 free relay, both of which made finals and placed 7th.
Stanford head coach Dan Schemmel and associate head coach Michael Stephens are putting together a banger of a class for fall 2027. It feels to us like they’ve succeeded in getting earlier pre-reads from the Stanford Admission department, speeding up the commitment process (this is just our observation, to be clear). But we’re only in mid-October and the staff have already secured verbal commitments from three top-20 recruits: #2 Luke Vatev, #10 Ekk, and #19 Yi Zheng – that feels early for Stanford.
With some of the fastest 50/100/200 free times in the cohort, Ekk will add strength to the Cardinal relays, in addition to his individual event lineup. It will also be interesting to see where he goes with his breaststroke, given that 55.2 is a solid time for an off-event.
Best SCY times:
- 50 free – 20.38
- 100 free – 43.91
- 200 free – 1:37.08
- 200 IM – 1:46.51
- 100 breast – 55.26
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GO NERDS
Congratulations to Owen Ekk on his commitment to continue his academic and athletic career at Stanford University! This achievement is a true reflection of years of hard work, discipline, and perseverance both in the pool and in the classroom. Owen’s dedication to constant improvement, his leadership as a teammate, and his relentless competitive spirit have set him apart and earned him this incredible opportunity to compete at one of the nation’s most prestigious programs. The Stanford community is gaining not only an exceptional swimmer, but also a driven student and outstanding individual. We can’t wait to watch Owen make his mark at the next level — the best is yet to come! #GoStanford #StanfordSwimming #FutureCardinal
How can three people disagree with this post, which merely celebrates the accomplishments of this young man?
Plausibilities:
1) Cal fans
2) Anti-college people
3) Trade school admissions officers
4) Americans who are sad that he’s Canadian now
5) Lumberjacks
6) Depressed people who are opposed to this much positive emotion
7) Leon High School swimmers
8) People with some version of literephobia specific to the discomfort of double ks
9) People who downvoted it to be contrarian after your post
10) People who don’t like comments generated wholly by ChatGPT
See, it would take quite a prompt to get chatgpt to make this list that would keep us reading til the end for the right answer. Yay human journalist.
Congrats to Owen!
thanks mom!
Stanford having more top 10’s than Texas and Cal is nuts 😂
With the transfers nowadays we’ll see if it lasts
Yes, it is shocking to see how Stanford 2027 recruiting goes so well. Nevertheless, congrates to all of those got a spot to Stanfort.