In what appears to be a developing trend, the University of Kentucky women have gotten off to a fast start in recruiting for the girls’ high school class of 2024.
Last year, when the first verbal commitment in the girls’ class of 2023 was announced in mid-September, it came from the Wildcats, and the team had five commitments as of October.
Kentucky is once again up and running in accumulating prospects for the 2024-25 season, claiming to have seven commitments in the girls’ 2024 class already, per a cryptic Instagram post.
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For now, SwimSwam has tracked down five of the seven names.
Addison Reese, who was featured in the “Best of the Rest” section in our Way Too Early recruit ranks for the class, is among the commits, owning notable best times in the 100 fly (54.27) and 200 fly (1:59.18) as she sets off on her on junior season of high school. Reese competes for Laker Swimming in Windermere, Florida.
Another BOTR member, Hayden Penny (Y-Spartaquatics) has also recently announced her commitment, coming in with a best time of 4:12.7 in the 400 IM along with a 1:48.9 PB in the 200 free.
The Wildcats have also picked up another fly/IM specialist in Taylor Grimley (Germantown Academy Aquatic), and a pair of distance-oriented Canadians in Emma Finlin and Bailey O’Regan.
Finlin, based out of the Edmonton Keyano Swim Club, is a major addition, coming off of a sixth-place finish in both the girls’ 800 and 1500 free at the Junior Pan Pacs in August.
O’Regan, although she’s Canadian and has competed for Etobicoke Swimming in the past, has more recently been training and racing for the Sarasota Sharks in Florida.
KENTUCKY COMMITMENTS, GIRLS’ CLASS OF 2024
- BOTR Addison Reese
- BOTR Hayden Penny
- Taylor Grimley
- Emma Finlin
- Bailey O’Regan
- Two unconfirmed names
Along with the strong women’s class, the Wildcats have also secured a major pickup on the men’s side, with #10 ranked Chase Swearingen announcing his commitment for 2024-25 back in mid-September.
The Kentucky women have consistently been a major player in the race for SEC glory in recent years, having placed in the top three in four consecutive seasons, including a conference championship victory in 2021.
This season, the Wildcats come in with SwimSwam’s 15th-ranked recruit class, and they’ve also got a couple of notable names in Elizabeth Tilt and Megan Hutchins set to join the fray in 2023-24.
I admit I don’t know much about the recruitment process, but are they not taking the risk of filling up their spots if better recruits come around, or these commits fizzle out in the next two years?
That 200 Fly time for Hayden Penny can’t be correct. 200 Free, maybe?
Also auburn men has 5+ commits