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South Carolina native Lilly Gault “LG” Abdella will travel to Alabama to join the Auburn Tigers starting in the fall of 2025. Abdella can swim a wide range of freestyle events, and excels from the 50 up to the mile. On her decision, Abdella explained that Auburn “felt like home… the atmosphere, coaches and swimmers gave [her] a feeling of being at [her] home swim teams.” Abdella currently swims for Team Greenville and is a junior at JL Mann High School.
“I am so proud to announce my verbal commitment to Auburn University where I will continue my academic and athletic goals! I would like to thank my family and friends for supporting me throughout my whole swim career and most importantly I would like to thank God for everything that he has blessed me with and for allowing this to be part of my story! I would also like to thank my amazing coaches and teammates at Team Greenville, JL Mann, and Gower. I am so excited to be apart of the Auburn family. War Eagle”
At last year’s NCSA Spring Championships, Abdella was a two time A finalist, placing 5th in the 500 free with a PB of 4:47.93 and 5th in the 1000 free with a best of 9:55.58. She also swam bests of 50.05 in the 100 free and 23.18 in the 50 free. Last year, Abdella was selected to be a member of the USA swimming national select camp at the US Olympic Training Center.
At the NCSA Summer Championships (LCM), Abdella finished 5th with a PB in the 800 free with a 9:03.48. She also swam bests of 2:04.79 in the 200 free, 57.97 in the 100 free, and 4:23.19 in the 400 free. At this year’s NCSA Spring Championships, Abdella posted several season bests, all of which were just off her best times from last year. She swam a 4:53.41 500 free for 8th overall, a 1:50.66 in her 200 free, a 51.39 in her 100 free, and 23.87 50 free.
Best times SCY:
- 50 free – 23.18
- 100 free – 50.05
- 200 free – 1:48.94
- 500 free – 4:47.93
- 1000 free – 9:55.58
- 1650 free – 16:55.31
- 100 fly – 56.17
At SECs, the Auburn women finished 4th for the second straight year, behind Florida, Tennessee, and Texas A&M. Abdella’s times are just short of scoring, as across the 200/500/1650, it took times of 1:47.18/4:47.73/16:41.31, respectively. Nonetheless, Abdella’s best times would be a helpful boost for Auburn’s roster, as this past season, her 500, 1000, and 1650 free all would have ranked 2nd behind Averee Preble, a graduate student.
The arrival of Abdella, along with class of 2024 commits Bella Ekk (1:46.64/4:52.22 across the 200/500 free) and Canadian Julia Strojnowska (1:46.38/4:44.20/8:47.09/16:23.97 across 200/500/1650 free [converted from LCM]), will look to strengthen and replenish Auburn’s distance freestyle group.
In the fall of 2025, Abdella will join Taylor Bacher (fly/free), Abigail Heizer (free/back), Nora Weber (distance free), and Hanna Schmidt (breastroke).
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That Gower to Auburn pipeline is strong! Good luck on the plains LG!