Razorbacks’ UK-to-UA Pipeline Thrives with Addition of Macy Lawrence for 2020

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Arkansas head coach Neil Harper has added another top-level British sprinter to the Razorbacks’ class of 2024. After signing Emily Barclay last week, he has brought in 17-year-old Macy Lawrence from Tavistock, England. “Macy Lawrence is one of Britain’s up-and-coming young sprinters. With the British Olympic Trials being postponed until next April she really has that extra year to make it count!” said Harper.

Arkansas has had tremendous success bringing in, and developing, British sprinters over the last several years under Harper, who hails originally from England. Anna Hopkin, for example, went from a decent sprinter and the top swimmer in Britain’s less-organized BUCS championship system to one of the best yards sprinters in history and an Olympic medal contender under Harper.

Like Hopkin and Barclay, Lawrence specializes in sprint freestyle. She placed 3rd in the women’s open 50m free at the 2019 Swim England National Winter Championships (25m) last December, touching in 24.88 to just touch out Barclay (24.93). She placed 7th in the 100 free with 55.45 (Barclay was 9th with 55.67). She also came in 3rd in the 18-and-under 100 IM (1:04.07). Lawrence was the top-ranked 16-year-old 100 freestyler (57.23) and the number 2 50 freestyler (26.43) at last summer’s British Summer Championships.

Unlike Hopkin and Barclay, who both attended university prior to arriving in Fayetteville and came in with two years of eligibility left, Lawrence is just wrapping up 11th grade and will have four full years of eligibility with the Razorbacks after graduating early from high school.

Lawrence has represented England and Great Britain on the junior level at various international meets. Her best SCM times of 24.88/55.42 in the 50/100 free translate to 22.31 and 49.83. Lawrence’s addition gives the Razorbacks four sub-22.7/49.9 sprinters for 2020-21.

Barclay joins a big class for Arkansas that is scheduled to arrive in the fall of 2019. Others in the class include Isabella Cothern, the fastest recruit out of Arkansas who split 48.9 relay at the Arkansas high school state championship meet this year; Hannah Cech, a 2:04 IMer from Ohio; Bradi Jones, a 1:03/2:18 breaststroker from Alabama; and an elite diver Jordyn Feiwell the best diver out of Indiana this year. Other future Razorbacks arriving in the Fall are Serena Gould, Anna Ervin and Abby Pfeifer from Texas, Lizzy Linartas from Florida and Grayson Payne from Tennessee.

Lawrence trains with Mount Kelly Swimming. Her top times are:

• 50 LCM free – 26.16
• 100 LCM free – 56.82
• 50 SCM free – 24.88
• 100 SCM free – 55.42

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