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Maddie Thornton announced her verbal commitment to the University of Georgia this week, giving the Georgia women their third commitment for the class of 2026.
Thornton swims for the Oregon-based Bend Swim Club year round and competes for Bend Senior High School team during the high school season.
I am extremely excited to announce my verbal commitment to continue my academic and athletic career at the University of Georgia!! I want to give a huge thank you to my family and friends for their never ending support, and to my coaches for getting me to this point. Also to coach Stef, Fernando, and Jerry for this incredible opportunity! I’m so grateful to have found my new home!! GO DAWGS!!!🐾❤️🐶
Thornton, a Winter Juniors qualifier, is a versatile addition for the Dawgs as she’s found success at the club and high school level in IM, backstroke, and freestyle events. Most recently during the long-course season, she won the 200-meter backstroke in a new lifetime best (2:16.25) at the Sacramento LCM Future Championships. She also made finals in the 100-meter backstroke and 50-meter freestyle, finishing second in the former and seventh in the latter. She swam lifetime bests in both, hitting 1:03.50 in the 100-meter backstroke and 26.63 in the 50-meter freestyle. She also hit a lifetime best in the 200-meter freestyle (2:07.08).
Best Times (Yards):
- 200 IM: 2:01.01
- 200 free: 1:49.12
- 200 back: 1:59.30
- 100 free: 50.73
- 50 free: 23.36
Back in yards, her versatility makes her valuable for Georgia because it means she could develop in multiple disciplines—a useful asset for a Georgia team that will likely be starting to rebuild during the 2026-27 season.
Georgia’s got a strong 2026 recruiting class so far, as Thornton joins #10 Virginia Hinds and BOTR recruits Grace Hunt and Brooke Bennett. Thornton’s 200 IM is just over four-tenths faster than Bennett’s, giving both someone to push them in practice from day one. Georgia only had two women sub-2:00 in the 200 IM last season and both will have graduated by the time the class of 2026 arrives on campus, so the Dawgs will hope that Thornton continues to drop time in the event both before and after she arrives on campus.
Her sprint freestyle bests of 23.36/50.73/1:49.12 strengthen Georgia’s sprint crew in tandem with Hinds and leave the door open for Thornton to eventually contribute to the Dawgs on the relays.
Last season, the Georgia women finished fifth at the 2024 SEC Championships, a place they will be fighting to maintain as Texas arrives in the conference this season.
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