Olympic Trials Qualifier Madison Preiss Commits to Minnesota

Minnesota’s own Madison Preiss took to Twitter to announce her verbal commitment to the University of Minnesota’s class of 2020.

Beyond excited to announce my verbal commitment to the University of Minnesota!! ❤️?

— Madison Preiss (@madison_preiss) September 25, 2015

Preiss, who swims for the Aquajets Swim Team in Eden Prairie, MN, really has no stroke weakness at the sprint level. If we had to categorize her, she’s a breaststroker/IMer. At the 2015 NCSA Junior Nationals this summer, she placed 4th in the 200 IM, 12th in the 100 breast, 17th in the 100 fly, and 17th in the 200 breast. Her times speak for themselves regarding her utility:

• 50y free – 23.35
• 50y fly – 24.46
• 100y back – 55.02
• 100y fly – 54.98
• 100 breast – 1:01.78/1:11.18
• 200 breast – 2:15.80/2:36.09
• 200y IM – 2:01.50

Her best event is the 100 breaststroke, where she swam a 1:11.18 at the Irish Open Swimming Championships this spring to clear the Olympic Trials standard. But, looking across her bests, she’s got 2015 Winter Jr Nats cuts in at least one event of each stroke as well as the 200 IM. This invaluable versatility is enhanced by her sprint background, which is so useful in the NCAA as shorter relays make up a huge portion of points at meets.

Preiss is also a three-time defending Minnesota Class AA HS State Champion– that is, last year for Wayzata High School, she won the 200 IM title as well as swam on victorious 200 medley and 200 free relays. She was nearly perfect last season, but was edged in the 100 breast by 2015 Texas freshman Olivia Anderson by a few tenths. Preiss won the 200 IM her sophomore year, and was edged by only Anderson in the 100 in 2014.

Minnesota is building up quite the breaststroke repertoire– led by internationally-relevant Canadian breaststroker Kierra Smith (who is taking a redshirt year to focus on the Rio Olympics but is expected to be back for her final year of eligibility for the 2016-17 season). The Golden Gophers also have a 1:01.12 breaststroker in 2015 freshman Rachel Munson and a sub-minute star in incoming freshman Lindsey Horejsi. Those three, along with Preiss and 2015 freshman Maggie Werba, have all been under 2:17 in the 200 breast.

Preiss will add more quality to the Gopher breaststroke group. She also has the sprint ability to swim any leg of a medley relay and contribute to a shorter free relay. She joins Tevyn Waddell and Lindsey Horejsi in what’s already looking like a stellar class of 2020 for Minnesota.

If you have a commitment to report, please send an email to [email protected]