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Jillian Johnson from McLean, Virginia has announced her verbal commitment to the application process* at the University of Pennsylvania. She will join the Quakers in the fall of 2020.
“I’m so incredibly excited to announce my verbal commitment to swim at the University of Pennsylvania! Thank you to my friends, teammates, and family as well as my coaches, Bruce Gemmell and Sue Chen. Can’t wait to get to work in Philly. GO QUAKERS!”
Johnson swims for Bruce Gemmell and Sue Chen at the Nation’s Capital Swim Club. She is a senior at Holton-Arms School in Bethesda, Maryland and is a two-time USA Swimming Scholastic All-American and a three-time PVS Scholar Athlete. She was also named NICSA All-American (Honorable Mention). Johnson will be following in the footsteps of her parents and other family members as college athletes. Her mother, Deirdre Gildea, swam at the University of Tennessee (with Mel Stewart) and her father ran cross-country at the University of Vermont. One of her aunts swam at Harvard and an uncle swam at the Naval Academy.
Johnson came in 3rd in the 100 fly (55.35) and 5th in the 100 back (58.00) at the 2019 Washington Metro Prep School League Championship. The next month, at the Potomac Valley LSC Short Course Championships, she placed 5th in the 100 fly and 6th in the 200 fly and notched PBs in the 100 free (54.10) and 200 free (1:56.28). This summer she competed at the LSC Long Course Open Championships and came in 18th in the 100 back, 20th in the 200 back, 11th in the 100 fly, 10th in the 200 fly, and 21st in the 200 IM. Her 100 back (1:06.98) and 200 IM (2:26.61) were lifetime bests. Johnson wrapped up her summer at NCSA Summer Championship where she lowered her PBs in the 50 back and 50 fly.
Penn finished 5th of 8 teams at the 2019 Ivy League Women’s Championships. Johnson’s best times would have scored for the Quakers in the B finals of the 200 back and 200 fly and the C finals of the 100 back and 100 fly. She will join fellow commits Charlotte Krevitt and Ellen Holmquist in the class of 2024.
Best times:
- 200m fly – 2:15.67
- 100m fly – 1:02.66
- 200y fly – 2:01.32
- 100y fly – 55.35
- 200y back – 2:00.47
- 100y back – 57.30
- 500 free – 5:08.55
*IVY LEAGUE DISCLAIMER: A “verbal commitment” by a coach is not an offer of admission, as only the Admissions Office has that authority. An Ivy League coach can only commit his or her support in the admissions process. Moreover, an Ivy League Likely Letter is not an offer of admission to the university.
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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