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South Carolina has picked up sprinter Mac Ratzlaff of Franklin Community High School in Indiana for fall 2021. Ratzlaff swims club with Franklin Regional Swim Team.
Very excited to verbally commit to be a Gamecock in 2021! Thanks to my coaches, teammates, and family and a big thanks to the coaches at the University of South Carolina for believing in me. Spurs up!!
TOP TIMES (SCY)
- 50 free – 20.97
- 100 free – 44.98
- 200 free – 1:37.24
- 100 fly – 51.61
Ratzlaff is primarily a sprint freestyler, though he projects more up to the 200 than down to pure 50 free speed. At the 2020 IHSAA Boys State Champs, Ratzlaff touched third in the 200 free and fourth in the 100 free. He also led off Franklin’s eighth-place 200 free relay and split a 22.17 fly on their 200 medley relay which would get DQ’d in the A-final.
The Gamecock men had a noticeably strong sprint group last year, with seven men in the 19’s in the 50 free and six under 44 in the 100 free (including two in 42-second range). They were led by UVA transfer Lewis Burras, who went 19.17 in the 50 and 42.28 in the 100, taking third and fourth in those events at 2020 SECs, respectively. During the 2018-19 season, comparatively, the Gamecock men were led by Caleb Tosh (19.5/43.6), the only swimmer on their roster under 20 and 44.
Ratzlaff will get a season of overlap with Burras and two with Mark Shperkin, their #2 100 freestyler last year (42.7). He would’ve been their #4 200 freestyler last season, and he’ll get one season with Phil Costin, who was 1:34.2 last year to lead them in that event.
South Carolina will also get Montana breaststroker Liam Kerns for 2021.
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