The Virginia women’s program made one of the first big recruit landings in the country when they received a verbal commitment from Courtney Bartholomew back in July, just a week after coaches were first allowed to call recruits.
Since then, though, ACC foes Florida State, Virginia Tech, and North Carolina have hit back by receiving loads of verbal commitments in the class of 2012. In the big game of chess that is college recruiting, the four-time defending conference champs have struck back by landing Hanne Borgersen out of the Monocacy Aquatic Club and Frederick High School in Maryland.
Borgersen scheduled recruiting trips to at least two other schools – USC and Texas – and received in home visits from a flew of others. During the first week of recruiting, she received visits by coaches from Penn State, Utah, Pitt, and those Florida State Seminoles, but in the end decided on the Cavaliers.
She already has NCAA “B” qualifying times in the 500 and 1,650 freestyles, and is very close in the 200 too. Her best times in those three events are 1:48.59/4:45.47/16:28.61 (and her best time in the 1000, 9:44.13, indicates her 1650 has bigger potential).
Virginia graduated its best true distance swimmer, Katya Bachrouche, at the end of last year, along with Anne Myers. Meredith Perdue will use up her eligibility after this season, which leaves the talented Rachel Naurath as the only distance swimmer on the roster beginning in the fall of 2012. Borgersen will bring much-needed replenishment to that group.
Virginia might not have the most accomplished distance group in the country, but when you combine the accomplishments of the men and women (in the combined program), they’re certainly in the elite tier.
