A full rundown of all the latest college commitments is available here.
The Georgia women started off the recruiting season extremely hot, and after ceding some headlines to their West Coast competitors at USC, Cal, and Stanford for a few weeks, Jack Bauerle jumped back into the game with a verbal from Kimberlee John-Williams. She represents Trinidad & Tobago, where she is currently the long course National Record holder in the women’s 50 back, and represented her country at the World Junior Championships in Peru last year.
John-Williams, who comes to the Bulldogs from the highly-esteemed Baylor School in Chattanooga, Tennessee. There, she is the defending State Champion in the 100 fly with a 54.96; the defending State Champion in the 100 back in 54.04, and was a part of the defending State Champions groups in both the 200 and 400 free relays. That includes a 200 free relay that are the current National High School Record holders.
Out of those two events, the 100 back is her better event to this point in her career. In the sprint freestyles, her best marks are just 24.8 and 52.0, but her swims on relays from the Tennessee State Championship meet imply that that has more to do with “opportunity” than “ability”. She split 22.85 on the 200 free relay and a 50.82 – both second-best to only Cal commit Kristen Vredeveld.
Jack Bauerle will surely be able to cultivate those freestyle skills, but John-Williams’ first goal will be to help bolster a backstroke group that loses both Megan Romano and Kelsey Gaid to graduation this year, leaving them ultimately a bit thin there. She’s joined in the class by Olivia Smoliga, one of the top 100 backstrokers in the country, regardless of age, and together should pretty quickly shore up another possible hole for Georgia. This team really doesn’t have any weaknesses next season, which will give them big confidence of remaining in the top 3 at NCAA’s, if not higher.
I am so proud of my Grand Niece Kimberlee John-Wiliams. Wishing her all the success in the world and good luck with the Georgia Bulldogs. She is always a committed person and I know she will work very hard.