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Sadie Murphy of River Forest, Illinois is headed to The ‘Ville next fall to join the Cardinals for her collegiate swimming career. Murphy, who swims for the Academy Bullets Swim Club, is currently a senior at Oak Park-River Forest High School.
I am beyond excited to announce my verbal commitment to continue my academic and athletic career at the University of Louisville! I want to thank my family, coaches, friends, and teammates for supporting me and helping me get to where I am today. I also am so grateful to the entire Louisville coaching staff for believing in me and giving me this amazing opportunity! GO CARDS!!! ⚫️🔴
Although Murphy didn’t swim at the Illinois High School Girls’ State Championships last year, she had a strong showing her sophomore year that resulted in an 8th place finish in the 200 IM (2:04.70) and a 9th place finish in the 100 back (56.73). She additionally led off Oak Park-River’s 200 medley relay in a 27.54, and ultimately led Oak Park-River to a 31st place finish out of 103 teams.
More recently, Murphy swam at the NCSA Summer Championships (LCM) in July, where she hit a slew of season bests en route to 3 top 24 finishes. She set a new PB in her 400 IM (5:03.55) to place 21st, and swam a 2:20.98 in her 200 IM for 19th. Murphy’s highest placing came from her 100 free, where with a 57.85, she placed 12th. Both the 200 IM and 100 free weren’t far off her bests, which sit at 2:19.95 and 57.16, respectively.
While several of Murphy’s best times are older, with her 200 back coming from 2022 and her IMs coming from early 2023, she was right on those times this past season, hitting season bests of 1:58.87 in the 200 back and 2:02.97 in the 200 IM.
Best times SCY:
- 200 back – 1:58.02
- 100 free – 50.58
- 200 free – 1:50.22
- 200 IM – 2:02.58
- 400 IM – 4:22.64
At ACCs in 2024, Louisville placed 2nd, behind only the Virginia Cavaliers. In Murphy’s primary events, the Cardinals returned only 2 swimmers each in both the 200 back and and 400 IM. Her times are on the cusp of what it took to qualify for a second swim, as to qualify for a ‘C’ final, it took a 1:57.54 in the 200 back and a 4:19.64 in the 400 IM. Louisville will have to depend on its strong incoming class upon Murphy’s arrival next fall, as they graduate their top scorer in Gabi Albiero in the spring.
Louisville has one of the deepest women’s sprint freestyle groups in the country over the past few years, which was led mostly by Albiero and Christiana Regenauer. Though many of their top sprinters have or will have graduated by next fall, Murphy would have ranked 10th on the 100 free depth chart for the 2023-2024 season.
Murphy joins #17-ranked Julie Mishler (sprint free), Ohio LSC Champion Kaitlyn Sallows (fly), NC HS state finalist Lily Willis (IM), and Canadian Speedo Champ Maya Bezanason (free/IM) in the Cards’ class of 2029.
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