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Ball State University has picked up a verbal commitment from Australian nationally ranked swimmer Abby Hartshorne for the 2021-2022 season. The sprint freestyler will graduate from Loreto Normanhurst High School in December of 2020. Hartshorne swims year-round for at Loreto Normanhurst Swim Club under head coach and former World Record Holder and World Champion Bobby Hurley.
“I’m super excited to announce my verbal commitment to Ball State University to further my athletic and academic career. I would like to thank my family, Coach Bobby Hurley, the swimmers at Loreto Normanhurst Swim Club and everyone else who has helped me get to this point. Coach J and the team made me feel so welcome. I can’t wait to begin the next chapter of my life. Go Cardinals!”
In December, Hartshorne competed at the NSW Senior State Age Championships, where she placed within the top 8 in 5 of her events. She placed 5th in the prelims heats of the 200 fly, earning a personal best time of 2:20.25, before falling to 8th place in finals. Similarly, she was seeded 5th going into the finals heats of the 50 free and dropped to 7th. Hartshorne went into the meet with a 400 IM time of 5:15.81, dropping 6.43 second boy the end of the meet for a personal best time of 5:09.38.
Her top finish at the meet came in the 200 free (2:05.27) where she dropped 3.06 seconds to earn the bronze medal. Finally, she dropped 1.12 seconds in the 100 fly, placing fourth and earning another personal best time. She qualified for the Australian Olympic Trials in the 200 free and the 100 and 200 fly. She also holds a Trials cut in the 50 free, which she earned at a meet in November.
Hartshorne is nationally ranked amongst the 17 year old Australian women. She is placed 13th in the 100 free, 12th in the 200 free, 11th in the 50 free, 10th in the 50 fly, 8th in the 400 IM, 5th in the 200 fly, and 4th in the 100 fly.
Top LCM Times (SCY Converted):
- 50 free – 26.59 (23.23)
- 100 free – 58.26 (51.04)
- 200 free – 2:05.27 (1:49.97)
- 50 fly – 28.80 (25.31)
- 100 fly – 1:01.86 (54.46)
- 200 fly – 2:20.25 (2:05.09)
Hartshorne will be one of the Cardinals’ top swimmers when she arrives on campus in the fall of 2021. Her converted times rank her amongst the top 2 women in each of her best events. Ball State University placed 8th at the 2020 Mid-American Championships. Hartshorne’s times will give her a chance to make it back to finals and gain points for the team as they aim to move up in the conference rankings.
Ball State has already received a verbal commitment from Winter Juniors qualifier Gracey Payne. The women will likely train alongside each other in the sprint group.
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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