53.5 Backstroker Kiki Kennedy Verbals to Duke (2022)
Kennedy has made enormous improvements in the backstroke events in the last year. Going into the pandemic, she was just 55.41 in the 100.
Harvard Snags Verbal from Colorado Stars Distance Specialist Lizzie Brock
At the 2020 Colorado HS 5A State Championships, Brock helped Cherry Creek to a second-place team finish with top-four placements in the 200 free & 500 free.
Spanish Backstroker Marta Beesmans Barquero Joins Houston Class of 2025
Barquero looks like an immediate impact swimmer for the Cougars; for some context, her 100m back lifetime best is under the US Olympic Trials cut (Wave I).
Houston Picks Up 59.8 LCM Butterflier Adelaide Meuter of France for 2021
Meuter competed at the 2020 French Elite Nationals in December, where she touched third in the 100 fly behind only Marie Wattel and Beryl Gastaldello.
Nicolas Albiero Drops 45.5 100 Back, Moves to #6 Ranking in NCAA
Albiero’s swim comes about eight-tenths off of his lifetime best a 44.75 from the 2020 ACC Championships, and this was just his second 100 back since then.
Kraus Hits 1:44.9 200 Free, Wheeler Splits 26.6 BR in Louisville Win Over Cincy
Kraus won the 200 free by over three seconds, registering a 1:44.97 for a lifetime best by over a second. She now ranks #7 nationally this year.
Grace Countie Hits 51.8 100 Back as UNC Overpowers Duke on Senior Night
Countie put up her second-fastest performance ever behind her 51.59 from 2019, making it her second time under 52 seconds ever.
Valdas Abaliksta Leads UNC Charge Over Duke with Breaststroke Double
Abaliksta swept the breaststroke events, hitting a 52.66 in the 100 and a 1:55.47 in the 200, coming just tenths off of season bests in both.
Big East Champs Runner-Up Connor Morikawa Transfers to Northwestern
A 54.5/1:58 breaststroker, Morikawa was the Big East runner-up in both breaststrokes last season as a freshman at Georgetown.
Kathryn Burr De-Commits from William & Mary, Chooses D-III Powerhouse Emory
Burr would’ve been Emory’s #6 50 freestyler last season, and she would’ve made the A-final in the 50 free at the 2020 UAA Championships.
FL 1A State Champ Julian Smith Stays Local, Signs with Florida (2021)
In November, racing at the Florida HS 1A State Championships, Smith won the state title in the 50 free (20.56) and placed fourth in the 100 breast (56.05).
2019 Ohio High School D2 Runner-Up Claire Pophal Stays Local, Verbals to OSU
At the 2020 Ohio HS Division II State Championships, Pophal raced to third in the 500 free (4:56.17), and she was the 500 free runner-up in 2019.
OSU Adds In-State Distance Specialist Sam Campbell of Dayton Raiders (2022)
Last season, Campbell finished runner-up in the 500 free at the Ohio HS D2 Champs. After a lifetime best 4:30.98 in prelims, he touched second in finals.
From 1:52 to 1:44 in 200 BK Since Pandemic Hit, Matthew Van Deusen Chooses UNC
Van Deusen is now faster in the 200 back (1:44.44) than he was pre-pandemic in the 200 free (1:44.88). His 200 free has since dropped to 1:39.21.
2019 CIF State Relay Champion Lindsay Ervin Verbals to Northwestern (2022)
At the 2019 CIF State Championships, Ervin finished fourth in the 50 free (22.95) and helped Santa Margarita Catholic to two state relay titles.
