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State champion Taylor Bacher of West Chester, Ohio, has announced her verbal commitment to continue her athletic and academic career at Auburn University in the fall of 2025. Bacher attends Cincinnati Hills Christian High School and trains with the Mason Manta Rays year-round while swimming for Wetherington Country Club in the summer. She posted on social media:
“I am so excited to announce my verbal commitment to Auburn University where I will further my athletic and academic career! I would like to thank my family and friends for all of their support over the years and most importantly I would like to thank God for all the opportunities he has blessed me with! I would also like to thank my amazing team and coaches at Mason Manta Rays for all the love and support they have given me! I am proud to be a part of the Auburn family. War Eagle💙🧡🦅”
Bacher raced to the Ohio High School Division II State Championship title in the 200 freestyle this past February, placing 1st in a personal best time of 1:48.33 at the state championships. She claimed 2nd in the 500 free, swimming another personal best time of 4:50.27. She helped her 200 free relay in placing 4th (1:38.33), and her 400 relay in finishing 8th (3:42.63).
In her freshman year, she placed 2nd in the 200 free (1:50.30) and 7th in the 100 fly (56.20) at the State Championship meet. In her sophomore year, she rose to 1st in the 200 free (1:49.80) and 2nd in the 500 free (4:54.56).
Bacher had a packed schedule at the NCSA Summer Championships Long Course in Indianapolis, swimming six individual events and five relays. Her highest-ranking event was the 200 fly, where she placed 1st with a personal best time of 2:14.04, qualifying her for the upcoming U.S. Open Championships in December. At the same meet, Bacher took 2nd in the 100 fly.
She swam a new best time in the 100 free (57.85) and 200 free (2:04.52), qualifying her for the Winter Junior Championship East LCM. Her 400 free was also a new best time (4:21.37) alongside her 200 IM at 2:19.70, both qualifying times for the U.S. Open.
Best Times SCY:
- 100 free – 50.71
- 200 free – 1:48.33
- 500 free – 4:50.27
- 100 fly – 54.65
- 200 fly – 1:58.84
- 200 IM – 2:03.84
- 400 IM – 4:24.53
At the GA DYNA Southern Premier in Georiga this March, Bacher was a six-time finalist, placing 1st in the 200 fly (1:59.19), 2nd in the 100 free (50.71), 3rd in the 100 fly (54.77), 4th in the 200 free (1:49.11), 5th in the 200 IM (2:03.84), and 6th in the 400 IM (4:25.47). She brought her 200 free relay to 4th, 400 free relay to 3rd, 200 medley relay to 2nd, and 400 medley relay to 2nd.
At the Ohio Mason High School Sectional meet, Bacher was a two-time champion. She dominated the 500 free, winning by 12.43 seconds. She won the 200 free by 5.24 seconds, beating out fellow Manta Rays teammate Julia Bohl.
In addition to swimming, Bacher also plays soccer for Cincinnati Hills Christian Academy. The apple doesn’t fall far from the tree when it comes to athleticism in the Bacher family. Bacher’s younger sister Baily Bacher is a fellow teammate at the Mason Manta Rays. At the Ohio Senior Champs Long Course meet this summer, the 15-year-old placed 8th in the 50 free (27.74), 10th in the 100 free (1:01.42), and 11th in the 200 IM (2:31.54). She also plays soccer, basketball, and track for Lakota East High School. The girl’s oldest sister, Sydney Bacher, played soccer for Lakota East.
Auburn women placed 4th at the SEC Championship last season, a large step up from their 7th-place finish the year before. Meghan Lee, Hannah Ownbey, and Ellie Waldrep were the highest-preforming Auburn women at the meet, with Lee taking home second in the 100 fly (50.66) and 6th in the 200 fly (1:55.96). Ownbey punched 5th in the 400 IM (4:10.03), and Waldrep took 6th in the 100 back (52.07).
Bacher’s 500 free time would currently place her as the fastest on the team so far this season, five seconds ahead of freshman Julia Strojnowska.
Bacher will join Olivia Matson, Hannah Schmidt, Nora Weber, Abigail Heizer, and Lilly Gault Abdella in Auburn for the fall 2025-26 season.
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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Methinks that the 1:05 PB for the 100 fly in the chart might not be correct.
The anti Michael Andrews.