Fitter and Faster Swim Camps is the proud sponsor of SwimSwam’s College Recruiting Channel and all commitment news. For many, swimming in college is a lifelong dream that is pursued with dedication and determination. Fitter and Faster is proud to honor these athletes and those who supported them on their journey.
One of the top recruits in the high school class of 2024 has changed her commitment.
US Junior National Teamer Addison Sauickie, an honorable mention top 20 recruit in the class, has verbally committed to Stanford after initially committing to USC last fall. She was originally the Trojans’ first announced 2024 commit.
While Stanford and USC are currently in the same conference, the Pac-12, by the time Sauickie arrives on campus, the Pac-12 as we know it won’t exist, and USC will be in the Big Ten and Stanford in the ACC.
Primarily a middle-distance freestyler, Sauickie qualified for the US Junior National Team in the 200 free and 400 free in long course. Her 1:57.98 in the 200 at the World Junior Championships in September led to a gold medal and inclusion in the conversation for a spot on next summer’s Olympic Team.
Time Progression from USC Commitment to Stanford Commitment
Best LCM times:
- 50 free – 25.49 (unchanged)
- 100 free – 55.66 –>55.58
- 200 free – 1:59.45 –>1:57.98
- 400 free – 4:13.54 –>4:08.94
- 800 free – 8:54.00 –>8:50.61
- 200 back – 2:14.68 (unchanged)
- 100 back – 1:03.26 (unchanged)
- 100 fly – 1:00.86 –>1:00.38
- 200 fly – 2:18.25 –>2:12.76
Best SCY times:
- 100 free – 49.78 –>48.90
- 200 free – 1:46.50 –>1:45.38
- 500 free – 4:47.23 –>4:46.79
- 1000 free – 10:10.96 –>10:00.76
- 1650 free – 16:38.84 (unchanged)
- 100 fly – 55.28
Sauickie trains with the Sarasota Sharks in Florida, which is home swimmers like World Champion teenager Summer McIntosh, so after a fall high school championship, they focus a lot of training and competition on long course. That means Sauickie’s times in yards are probably not reflective of her abilities there.
Even so, her best short course time in the 200 free would have made the A-Final at last year’s ACC Championships.
Stanford is in rebuilding mode after losing three superstars in Regan Smith, Taylor Ruck, and Claire Curzan over the last 18 months. Curzan’s departure came after Sauickie’s original commitment to USC, so that would have freed up additional scholarship money for the Cardinal.
Sauickie’s arrival will coincide with the return of Olympic medalist and World Champion Torrie Huske from a redshirt year and as part of a very good class that includes Emily Thompson, Levenia Sim, Annika Parkhe and Lila Heffernan.
This is the second big loss for the Trojans in a week after Merve Tuncel announced that she would not wind up in Los Angeles because of problems with admissions.
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].
About the Fitter and Faster Swim Tour
Fitter & Faster Swim Camps feature the most innovative teaching platforms for competitive swimmers of all levels. Camps are produced year-round throughout the USA and Canada. All camps are led by elite swimmers and coaches. Visit fitterandfaster.com to find or request a swim camp near you.
FFT SOCIAL
Instagram – @fitterandfasterswimtour
Facebook – @fitterandfastertour
Twitter – @fitterandfaster
FFT is a SwimSwam partner.
Welcome to Team Cardinal! I hope you enjoy your time on the Farm!
People spelling doom and gloom for SC women are way too quick to pass judgment. This and Tuncel are big hits, but their women that stayed in Troy swam great this summer, and their freshmen are really good. This staff is only on the second full season, how about you give them a chance.
Out of curiosity swimswam, who do you guys have making the olympic team in the 4×200 free relay? I was thinking about this earlier, this race is going to be AMAZING. Ledecky, Weinstein, Sims, Gemmell, Shackell, L. Smith, Peolowski (this year’s team), then Madden, Sauickie, Mintenko, Hayes, Walsh and Grimes on the outside looking in. Throw in Spink, Hodges, maybe Tuggle, Weyant and Ivey and this race may be the most deep field in 200 free history in USA.
Amazing would be 4 swimmers sub 1:55. I really don’t care about who gets to swim prelims.
Just out of interest (and definitely not insinuating anything in this case), are college coaches allowed to contact athletes who have verbally committed?
Yes
Yes
Yes, though you have to know as a coach that if you do that, the other coach is going to use that against use in the future – in recruiting, in other areas where coaches need to cooperate like dual meets. Whether or not you can resist that negative recruiting down the line probably depends on who you are and how much success you’ve had.
Athletes can also verbally commit and still reach out to other coaches, though the coach you committed to will almost always find out and that will almost definitely cost you a roster spot/scholarship, except maybe in a handful of fringe cases.
College coaches seem to respect an athlete’s decisions. Pro coaches don’t follow the same principles.
While not a rule, good coaches never reach out once a swimmer verbally commits. Swimmers commit so early now (often fall of junior year), that things change in the lives of these 16-17 yr olds. It could be their times, their goals, family, friends, etc. In all the cases I know of, the swimmer re-initiates contact, not the coach. At that point, the coach can modify their original offer and begin recruiting again as it is the swimmer has withdrawn their previous verbal commitment.
Obviously, this all changes when the athlete actually signs their letter of commitment (for swimming, earliest is November of senior year).
Breakout summer for sure.
Sauickie’s also had a huge time drop in the 200 fly at Futures, from 2:16.25 – 2:12.76.
Good call – will add that one in.
I can’t imagine USC alum are too thrilled with the program atm. Crazy how a few studs and olympians (Santo, Carter, Quintero, etc) kept their program afloat under Salo. Salo’s negligence to recruit depth combined with Lea Maurer completely out of her element as a head coach has left this once great program in shambles
The rot started under Salo, and has only accelerated under Jeremy “Anger Management” Kipp and LM….
LM is the real problem.
Sliding your Huske Paris gold medal prediction into the final paragraph is great and you better not edit it!
I was about to say am I an idiot? Huske is not an Olympic champion? She’s a medalist?
Gotta spell her name right tho
Should be a few awkward moments for Coach Lea when she visits her sons and runs into her former commit on deck.
Coach Lea is always welcome in Palo Alto! Quality coach and person. 17 year olds are allowed to change their mind, or maybe her tremendous time drops opened up options. Swimmers change their minds for many different reasons that are theirs alone.
ha-ha-ha-ha. Meant World Champion :-).