Gabby DeLoof Swims 2 Personal Bests at Club Wolverine Quad Meet

Club Wolverine Winter Quad

• December 4-5, 2021
• Canham Natatorium, Ann Arbor, Michigan
• Short Course Yards (25 yards), timed finals
• Full Meet Results

While Gabby DeLoof‘s Tokyo Frog Kings squad didn’t advance to the International Swimming League Playoffs this season, the 25-year old Michigan alumnus didn’t take the rest of the short course season off.

In her first domestic meet since August, DeLoof swam a pair of lifetime bests at the Club Wolverine Winter Quad last weekend.

In the 100 back, she swam 52.67. That undercut her previous best time of 52.96 that she swam at both the 2017 and 2018 Big Ten Championships, while she was still representing Michigan.

In the 200 IM, she won in 1:56.98. That was her first 200 IM in any course since the 2015 Big Ten Championships, when she was a freshman, where she swam 2:02.75.

DeLoof has spent most of her international career as a 50-100-200 freestyler. She represented the U.S. at the 2019 World Championships, where she swam a prelims leg of the American 800 free relay that ultimately earned a silver medal in finals.

She also swam the 50, 100, and 200 freestyles at the Olympic Trials in June. Her highest finish was 7th in the 200 free final, missing the Olympic Team by just one place.

During the ISL season, however, the Frog Kings used her primarily as a backstroker. That was in part driven by need, and she averaged just over 15 points/match for the team this season as a free agent signing

But she has some backstroke genetics: her older sister Ali was a top contributor for the DC Trident this season, averaging 25.5 points/match, and is now one of the fastest American backstrokers ever in short course.

At 25 years old, DeLoof is still well in the prime of her career to be chasing USA Swimming international teams in her primary event, the 200 free. Increased versatility, like she showed during the ISL season and over the weekend in Ann Arbor, can help fund that chase for national teams via the ISL.

She did also swim her best race, the 200 free, in 1:45.21.

Other Highlight Swims:

The meet was primarily for local age group swimmers, but a few other senior-aged swimmers did show up and compete.

• Sophie Housey, who is on Michigan’s roster this season as a sophomore but who has not raced since NCAAs last year, placed 2nd in the 100 back behind DeLoof in 54.84 and also won the 100 free in 50.62. That time in the 100 back is a new personal best for her, clearing a 55.25 that she swam in high school. She earned All-America honors last season as a freshman at NCAAs in the 200 free, placing 14th, and another as a member of Michigan’s 800 free relay (which also won the Big Ten title).
• Michigan freshman Brendan Fitzpatrick, who raced at the team’s opener against Oakland but not at the mid-season Minnesota Invite, swam his way to a pair of personal bests. He posted a 53.98 in the 100 breast and 2:00.27 in the 200 breast. Fitzpatrick is from Dubai, so this and the October dual meet are the only two short course yards meets of his career so far.
• Among the top age group performers was 13-year old Henry Baumhover. He swam best times in the 500 free (5:09.04), 200 back (2:09.25), 100 breast (1:03.30), and 200 fly (2:11.82)