It is Throwback Thursday. This time, we will take a look back at the current veteran swimmers and their college commitment posts from their high school days.
Katie Ledecky
Katie Ledecky committed to Stanford at the end of her junior year of high school. At the time of her commitment, Ledecky was already the American record holder in the 500 and 1650 freestyles. Ledecky spent two seasons with the Cardinal, winning a total of eight NCAA titles, before foregoing her final two years of eligibility to turn pro.
Bobby Finke
Finke committed to Florida in the fall of his senior year and was the #7 ranked recruit in his class. Finke won the 1650 freestyle NCAA title in his final two years with the Gators in 2021 and 2022. He is the American record holder in the event as he swam a 14:12.08 at 2020 SECs.
Lilly King
Lilly King committed to stay in-state and attend Indiana at the beginning of her senior year of high school. King was a NAG record holder coming out of high school. She went on to sweep the 100 and 200 breaststrokes in all four years of her NCAA career.
Kieran Smith
Kieran Smith was the 8th ranked recruit in the class of 2018 and committed to the Gators the summer before heading into his senior year. Despite being the American Record holder in the 500 freestyle, Smith’s only individual NCAA title came in spring 2021 as he won the 200 freestyle. Smith swam his American Record of a 4:06.32 twice, the first at 2020 SECs and the second coming at 2021 SECs.
Beata Nelson
Beata Nelson decided to stay in-state committing to Wisconsin as a high school senior. Nelson was the #2 ranked recruit in the class of 2016. Nelson won the 200 IM, 100 back, and 200 backstroke NCAA titles during her sophomore and junior seasons. Her senior year was cut short due to the pandemic, but Nelson is still the NCAA 200 backstroke record holder to this day.
Drew Kibler
Kiber committed to Texas in February of his junior year. In December of his junior year, he set 15-16 NAG records at Winter Juniors in both the 200 and 500 freestyles. Kibler went on to win the 200 freestyle NCAA title in 2022.
Abbey Weitzeil
Weitzeil committed to Cal in the fall of her senior year, giving the class the #2, #3, #4, and #5 ranked recruits in the class. Weitzeil set the NCAA record in the 50 freestyle swimming a 21.02 during her junior season.
Commitments used to be sooo much later
Would have been good if you had done ‘then and now’ pictures of each