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Sprinter Ingrid Nelson, from Omaha, Nebraska, has committed to swim and study at Western Colorado University, beginning in the 2025-2026 school year. Nelson swims year-round with Brownell Talbot Aquatics and recently graduated from Brownell-Talbot High School.
Nelson confirmed the commitment in an email to SwimSwam, writing:
I am beyond excited to announce my commitment to Western Colorado University to continue my academic and athletic career!!!!!!! Thank you to my family, the best club and high school teammates anyone could ask for (my BT swim fam), Coach Jimmy, Dad, Carter, I wouldn’t be here without your support. Thank you to Coach Vickie for this incredible opportunity, I cannot wait to swim with the mountaineer women at altitude! GO NEERS!
Nelson’s two biggest meets of the season took place about a month apart. At the NSAA Championship at the end of February, she wrapped up her high school career with Brownell-Talbot, taking on the 50 free and 100 butterfly individually. In the 50 free, she touched the wall 21st with a personal-best 25.30, missing out on a finals appearance, but she clocked 1:00.66 in the 100 fly to qualify 16th and into the ‘B’ final. She added a few tenths and remained at her seed in finals with a time of 1:01.13.
In relay action, she threw down a 24.84 anchoring the team’s 19th place 200 free relay, and recorded splits of 26.68 (prelims) and 26.60 (finals) on the squad’s 15th 200 medley relay taking on fly duties.
During the first week of March, Nelson headed to the Midwestern 13 & Over Championship. Nelson’s highest placing swim came in the 100 fly, where she hit the wall with a time of 1:00.85. She added other top 16 showings in the 50 free (15th), 50 back (10th), while also nabbing 17th in the 50 fly and 22nd in the 100 IM.
Nelson wrapped up her short course season this past March at the Speedo Sectionals in Columbia, Missouri. There, she competed in a sole event, joining teammates Heidi Grafelman, Audrey Griner, and Millie Knudson on BT Aquatics’ third-place 200 free relay. Nelson led off the quartet in 25.50, the second-quickest split of the team.
Top SCY Times:
- 50 Freestyle: 25.30
- 100 Freestyle: 57.08
- 100 Butterfly: 1:00.66
- 100 Backstroke: 1:03.48
Western Colorado University is a Division II program located in Gunnison, Colorado. The Mountaineers compete in the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference and placed 4th out of 9 teams at the 2025 conference meet. The team is led by Vickie Fellows, who is entering her fifth season at the helm.
The conference meet offers ‘A,’ ‘B,’ and ‘C’ finals with the top 24 advancing for a second swim. It took times of 24.86 in the 50 free, 54.50 in the 100 free, 1:01.45 in the 100 fly, and 1:07.39 in the 100 back to earn finals swims. Nelson’s best times would have put her 20th after prelims in the 100 fly and 23rd in the 100 back, squarely into the ‘C’ final.
On the team itself, Nelson’s best times would have ranked 4th in the 50 free, 7th in the 100 fly, 8th in the 100 free, and 10th in the 100 back this past season.
Nelson will join Lauryn Bingley, Emma Linscombe, Kylee Ruhser, Liliana Chavez, and Danika Lambert in WCU’s class of 2029.
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