Junior Pan Pacs Champion Kayla Han, #2 in Class of 2026, Sends Verbal Commitment to Indiana

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Indiana University earned a huge commitment today, as 16-year-old Kayla Han handed her verbal commitment to the Hoosiers freshman class of 2026. Han is a Junior Pan Pacs champion and National Age Group Record holder. She’s also SwimSwam’s #2 recruit in the class of 2026, holding the top time in the class in the 500 free, 1000 free, 1650 free, and 400 IM. With the commitment, Han will be making her return to state of Indiana, as she spent the last year training at Carmel Swim Club in the Greater Indianapolis area before returning to her home club of La Mirada Armada towards the end of the summer.

“I am so grateful and excited to announce my verbal commitment to pursue my goals at Indiana University! Thank you to my parents, Coach Shipherd, and my Armada family for their unwavering support. Thank you to Coach Looze for giving me the opportunity to become a part of the IU tradition. GO HOOSIERS ❤️🤍” – Kayla Han

Han is a huge pickup for the Hoosiers, as she excels in a number of events. She won gold in the 800 free at the Junior Pan Pacs last month in Australia, winning the event in 8:36.77. Han actually earned a silver medal back at the 2022 Junior Pan Pacs as well, when she was only 14 years old.
At the end of July, Han won the women’s 400 IM at the Speedo Summer Championships, swimming a 4:43.09. She also placed 4th in the 800 free (8:35.57) and 400 free (4:12.51). At the US Olympic Trials back in June, Han had her highest finish in the 400 free, where she came in 4th place with a career best of 4:08.21. She also finished 10th in prelims of the 400 IM, narrowly missing out on advancing to the final.

Personal Bests, SCY

  • 100 free – 50.54
  • 200 free – 1:47.00
  • 500 free – 4:38.12
  • 1000 free – 9:40.05
  • 1650 free – 16:00.74
  • 100 fly – 54.16
  • 200 fly – 1:57.68
  • 200 IM – 1:58.03
  • 400 IM – 4:06.20

Personal Bests, LCM

  • 100 free – 57.23
  • 200 free – 1:59.95
  • 400 free – 4:08.21
  • 800 free – 8:29.66
  • 1500 free – 16:16.94
  • 100 fly – 1:02.36
  • 200 fly – 2:14.59
  • 200 IM – 2:16.19
  • 400 IM – 4:42.32

Han is primarily a middle-distance and distance freestyler, as well as IM’er, however, she has enough speed in the 100 and 200 free to be a valuable contributor in relays for Indiana as well. Though she was only a sophomore in high school this past season, Han’s time in the 400 IM would have been the fastest on Indiana’s roster last season by over 2 seconds. She also would have had the top time for the Hoosiers in the 200 IM. Han’s career bests would have been 2nd in the 500 free and 3rd in the 1650 free as well.

As far as how Han’s times already project into the NCAA as a whole, her personal best in the 400 IM would have put her 9th in prelims of the event at NCAAs this past season, while her 500 free would have been 14th in prelims and her 1650 free would have been 14th overall. Given that, with 2 years of high school left, Han is already boasting NCAA-scoring times in a trio of events.

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].

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Swimma
2 months ago

Class of 2030 🤯

Neve Stolan
2 months ago

UF is undisputedly Distance U, with Ledecky, Finke, Whitlock, and Kieran.

But, IU hauling in top recruits like Luke Ellis and now Han to train with Sarkany, Denigan, and Ching Hwee Gan under Olympic OW Head Coach Chitwood certainly makes a statement.

Last edited 2 months ago by Neve Stolan
Gulf Coach
2 months ago

This is a BIG “GET”!!!

#GoHOOSIERS

swimster
2 months ago

longest recruiting trip ever.

IU Swammer
Reply to  swimster
2 months ago

Meh, Carmel is about 2 hours away from IU, and there isn’t exactly a pipeline from Carmel to IU.

swimster
Reply to  IU Swammer
2 months ago

I mean she spent almost a year at Carmel, which is close to IU and … oh nevermind.

I miss the ISL (Go dawgs)
2 months ago

Very interesting, I wasn’t expecting IU but it makes sense with her ties to Carmel. Huge get for the Hoosiers.

cynthia curran
Reply to  I miss the ISL (Go dawgs)
2 months ago

Must of like it there I mean Indiana.. Probably came back to be with her parents before college. I mean California.

cow from china
Reply to  cynthia curran
2 months ago

what

Shaddy419
Reply to  cynthia curran
2 months ago

Common Cynthia Curren L that doesn’t make any sense whatsoever

Swimswammmmmmmmmm
Reply to  cynthia curran
2 months ago

???

Swimswammmmmmmmmm
Reply to  I miss the ISL (Go dawgs)
2 months ago

Mhmm… like you could’ve gotten into IU in swimming

NCSwimFan
2 months ago

She’s already racked up some serious frequent flyer miles from Indiana to LA, what’s a few more! Congrats!

IMO
2 months ago

Han is a good get for IU for distance free and 400 IM, but seriously, if her 100 free is useful for relays IU is in trouble.

swimgeek
Reply to  IMO
2 months ago

She went 50.5 as a HS sophomore – you might be a little quick to write her off

Gulf Coach
Reply to  swimgeek
2 months ago

That 159.9 200 LCM is pretty tough! She’ll boost that 800 F. R.

Admin
Reply to  Gulf Coach
2 months ago

Yeah I think she’s been so long course focused that we haven’t seen close to her bests in short course.