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Remaining in the state of Pennsylvania to continue his athletic career, Chase Bearley has announced that he will be making a short two hour drive north to Bethlehem to swim at Lehigh University in the fall of 2024. Bearley is current in his senior season at Episcopal Academy while swimming club with Diamond State Aquatics in Wilmington, Delaware. He is also a Junior Winter Championships qualifier, having achieved the time standard in the 50 free.
“I choose Lehigh because of its academic rigor and strong alumni network. The swim team and coaches made me feel very at home and welcome. I am excited to help make an impact with the mountain hawks!”
Over the summer, Bearley was a two event finalist at the Futures Championships held in Richmond, earning second swims in both the 50 and 100 freestyles. His top finish came in the 50 free, where he posted a lifetime best of 24.23 to take twenty-fifth. His time of 53.49 in the 100 free was also a lifetime best, earning him twenty-eight overall.
Bearley was also a multiple event finalist for his high school at the 2023 Eastern Interscholastic Swimming Championships, a meet featuring some of the east coast’s top prep schools, last February. His top finish at that meet came in the 50 free as well, with the then junior taking sixth in a best time of 21.31. He also added a B-finals appearance, where he lifetime best of 46.77 earned him thirteenth.
Top SCY Times
- 50 free – 21.31
- 100 free – 46.77
- 200 free – 1:45.88
- 100 fly – 52.06
Bearley will be joining a Lehigh team that is currently coming of a 2022-2023 season that finished with a sixth place finish (out of ten teams) at the 2023 Patriot League Swimming and Diving Conference Championships. Last season Bearley’s lifetime bests would have provided strong depth for the Mountain Hawks, with his times in the 50 and 100 free being within the team’s top-eight.
With over a year left to improve, Bearley will need to lower his times in the sprint events to get into scoring range at the conference level. Last year it took 20.65/45.43 to earn a second swim in the sprint freestyle events.
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