OT Qualifier, Backstroker Ryan Baker, Verbally Commits to UVA

Virginia_m_BakerRyan Baker, a senior at Washington, D.C.’s Gonzaga College High School, has given his verbal accord to University of Virginia for the 2016-17 season, according to his Twitter feed. Baker is a 2016 Olympic Trials qualifier who swims for Arlington Aquatic Club in Virginia.

Baker competed in the 50/100m free and 100/200m back at US Nationals last summer but most of his top SCY and LCM times, including his 2016 Trials cut in the 100m back, came from the NCSA spring and summer nationals. At the spring meet, Baker finaled in the 50/100/200 free, 50/100/200 free, 50/100/200 back, and 50 fly; in the summer event he was even more successful, winning the 100m back and finishing top-8 in the 50/100 free and 50 back, as well as top-16 in the 200 free.

In high school swimming, Baker won the 100 back and 100 free at the 2015 Washington Metros Championships, breaking the Metros record in the latter. He also earned a pair of silver medals leading off Gonzaga’s 200 medley and 200 free relays. His top times include:

Event SCY LCM
50 back 22.58 26.55
100 back 48.65 56.73
200 back 1:44.88 2:06.25
50 fly 22.29 25.61
100 fly 49.64 58.00
50 free 20.72 23.59
100 free 44.85 51.20
200 free 1:37.69 1:54.66

 

Baker will join a strong backstroke training group at Virginia that includes 2015 ACC finalists Austin Quinn, Zach Bunner, Henrik Pohlmann, all of whom will still be on the roster when he reports for duty in the fall of 2016. The Cavaliers have begun to beef up their freestyle group with the incoming freshmen class and the recent commitment of Henry Keel, but Baker might still be expected to double as a sprint freestyler to give immediate punch to the 4×100 and 4×200 free relays, which were relative weak points for UVa at 2015 ACCs.

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

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Salmon Boy
8 years ago

The mystical RYOOOONNNE, congrate perderder

Speedy
8 years ago

ryoooooonn. congratz to mah lil peesh

KT
8 years ago

Go Ryuuuuuuun

Colinv
8 years ago

Congratulations Ryan – great choice!

About Anne Lepesant

Anne Lepesant

Anne Lepesant is the mother of four daughters, all of whom swam in college. With an undergraduate degree from Princeton (where she was an all-Ivy tennis player) and an MBA from INSEAD, she worked for many years in the financial industry, both in France and the U.S. Anne is currently …

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