UrsusArctosCalifornicus;842843071 said:

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[COLOR="#006699"]
College Swimming's current [U]Top 20[/U] (below) looks quite different as usual when compared to SwimSwam's. Had taken the liberty to fill in several Uni commitments that aren't on the CS database as yet.

I actually went all the way down to the 50th ranked recruit here, since imo CS' machine-algorithm methodology and their reliance on self-reporting has a tendency to undervalue a number of promising recruits... On the plus side, they do report some Internationals who have indicated an interest in competing in the NCAA.

Note that prospects who have received mentions on the board, and on the older "[U]2015/2016/2017 women's swimming recruits[/U]" threads, have their names underlined.
[/COLOR]
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[SIZE=3]Recruit Rankings[/SIZE]

[U]Rank | Name | Commitment | Hometown | Power Index[/U]

#1 | [U]Taylor Ruck[/U] | – | Scottsdale, AZ | 1.00
#1 | [U]Eva Merrell[/U] | – | Newport Beach, CA | 1.00
#1 | [U]Julia Cook[/U] | [U]University of Texas[/U] | Bryan, TX | 1.00
#4 | [U]Mary-Sophie HARVEY[/U] | – | Montreal, QC | 1.13
#5 | [U]Emma Muzzy[/U] | – | Roanoke, VA | 1.17
#6 | [U]Grace Ariola[/U] | [U]University of Texas[/U] | Bloomington, IL | 1.19
#7 | Vanessa Pearl | [U]University of Florida[/U] | McKinney, TX | 1.21
#8 | [U]Morgan Tankersley[/U] | – | Tampa, FL | 1.27
#9 | [U]Lucie Nordmann[/U] | – | The Woodlands, TX | 1.29
10 | [U]Amalie Fackenthal[/U] | – | Carmichael, CA | 1.31
11 | Gabrielle Kopenski | – | mckinney , TX | 1.37
12 | [U]Dakota Luther[/U] | – | Austin, TX | 1.38
12 | [U]Olivia Carter[/U] | [U]University of Georgia[/U] | Jamestown, NC | 1.38
14 | [COLOR="#DAA520"][U]Cassidy Bayer[/U][/COLOR] | [U][COLOR="#000066"]University of California-Berkeley[/COLOR][/U] | Washington, DC | 1.47
15 | [U]Zoe Bartel[/U] | – | Fort Collins, CO | 1.50
16 | [U]Easop Lee[/U] | – | Baltimore, MD | 1.51
17 | [U]Samantha Shelton[/U] | – | Laguna Beach, CA | 1.65
17 | Julia Menkhaus | – | Fort Mill, SC | 1.65
19 | [U]Allie Raab[/U] | – | Brentwood, TN | 1.70
20 | Sarah Grinalds | – | Southport, CT | 1.72
21 | [COLOR="#DAA520"][U]Elise Garcia[/U][/COLOR] | [U][COLOR="#000066"]University of California-Berkeley[/COLOR][/U] | Irvine, CA | 1.75
22 | [U]Erica Sullivan[/U] | – | Las Vegas, NV | 1.78
23 | [U]Sophie Hansson[/U] | – | – | 1.86
24 | [U]Madison Homovich[/U] | [U]University of Georgia[/U] | Pittsboro, NC | 1.90
25 | [U]Ruby Martin[/U] | – | Coralville, IA | 2.00
26 | Layla Black | [U]University of Florida[/U] | – | 2.39
27 | Rhyan White | – | Herriman, UT | 2.66
28 | Bayley Stewart | – | Fort Collins, CO | 2.68
29 | [U]Alex Sumner[/U] | – | Swarthmore, PA | 2.71
30 | Holly Jansen | – | Arlington, VA | 2.76
31 | Christin Rockway | – | Valrico, FL | 2.99
32 | [U]Halladay Kinsey[/U] | – | Folsom, CA | 3.12
33 | Jessie Nava | – | Sea Ranch Lakes, FL | 3.32
34 | Julia Bruneau | [U]Virginia Polytechnic Institute (Virginia Tech)[/U] | – | 3.42
35 | [U]Anya Goeders[/U] | – | Lowell, IN | 3.43
36 | Kylie Powers | – | Houston, TX | 3.46
36 | [U]Grace Countie[/U] | [U]University of North Carolina[/U] | Raleigh, NC | 3.46
38 | Kylee Alons | [U]North Carolina State University[/U] | Timnath, CO | 3.49
39 | [U]Ema Rajic[/U] | – | Urbana, IL | 3.62
40 | Miriam Guevara | – | El Paso, TX | 4.09
41 | Melissa Pish | [U]Duke University[/U] | Bloomington, IL | 4.16
42 | Cathy Teng | – | Santa Clara, CA | 4.21
43 | Claire Grover | – | Scottsdale, AZ | 4.24
44 | Trude Rothrock | – | Carmel, IN | 4.57
45 | Tonner DeBeer | – | Louisville, KY | 4.59
46 | [U]Mikki Thompson[/U] | – | Chino Hills, CA | 4.66
47 | [U]Sinead Eksteen[/U] | [U]University of Notre Dame[/U] | Vienna, VA | 4.79
48 | Morgan Scott | – | Perkasie , PA | 4.85
49 | [U]Izzi Henig[/U] | – | Atherton, CA | 4.86
50 | Olivia Paoletti | – | Lincoln University , PA | 4.99


https://www.collegeswimming.com/recruiting/rankings/2018/F/


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Is there any inside scoop on where the remaining non-commits among the top 20 are going? Obviously especially curious about Ruck and Merrell.

juarezbear;842843670 said:

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Is there any inside scoop on where the remaining non-commits among the top 20 are going? Obviously especially curious about Ruck and Merrell.

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[COLOR="#006699"]Alright, no inside scoop of any sort, just my quick thoughts on this, FWIW! Could be sprouting complete nonsense though haha. Would love to hear more informed opinions + juicy gossip from the others here :p

Taylor Ruck's collegiate leanings is a bit of a tough one to discern (as with fellow Canuck stud MSH). She did make a trip to LSJU for their Junior Day, but notably not to ours.

But then again, [COLOR="#DAA520"]Elise Garica[/COLOR] & Grace Ariola were also down on the Farm for the same visit, and ended up committing to the Bears :woohoo & Horns respectively instead!

[COLOR="#DAA520"]Elise[/COLOR] swims for the same HS as Ella Eastin (Crean Lutheran), and [COLOR="#DAA520"]Cassidy[/COLOR] is good friends with furdette Megan Byrnes (NCAP club ties), but guess their :bear: hearts laid with Oski in the end, yay! :beer:

Ruck had recently announced that she'll be moving up to the HPC in Ontario this summer to train with Penny, Kayla Sanchez, Michelle Williams, Van Landegham, Rebecca Smith, Mainville and the likes for at least a year (whilst finishing high school up in Canada). So this move has the potential to impact her current intentions to compete in the NCAA.

Personally feel that we have as good a chance as the other top programmes with Eva Merrell, maybe more

'SC and some other schools (Horns, Dawgs?) are no doubt working hard on the #1 recruit in the nation. Though Eva has transferred from Corona del Mar to Crean Lutheran (i.e. furdette tie re the latter), the flexibility pertaining to Merrell's in-class instruction that is now provided by her new HS for her swim-related travels (as a member of the Senior National Team) could become an obstacle to getting into the country club across the bay, IMO.

However, Greg is known to be recruiting Taylor, Zoe Bartel, Easop Lee, Lucie Nordmann & Sam Shelton from SwimSwam's Top 20 (maybe others in addition). He'll need to recruit the cream of the crop in order to fill the vacuum left behind by Janet Hu, Ally Howe, Lindsey Engel, Heidi Poppe & Alex Myers' graduations, but will certainly have plenty of scholly funds to make his sales pitch (unless he had already burnt up some of that with their Top rated incoming 2017 class?).

Wouldn't personally bet against Zoe (spotted enthusiastically sporting furdie paraphernalia at her last visit to Stanford, alongside Lucie :cry, Taylor (if she remains committed to competing in the NCAA) or Easop (LSJU is her dream school after all, just as it was with Grace Zhao in 2017) going over to the Dark side.

Lucie possibly a 60/40 for the red coloured team rather than a slam dunk, if only cos we are still [U]Backstroke U[/U] (soon to be [U]Butterfly U[/U]), though not sure if Teri is even actively recruiting Nordmann, esp if we get Eva who would be an upgrade in this dept!

Samantha may have the option to choose between Meehan, McKeever (Amalie may be higher priority target here), Salo or even UT/GA/Zona. Allie Raab is a Stanford legacy, though the Dawgs may have a better claim as her sister Meaghan swims there. Don't have any scoop/rumours on Morgan, Erica or the rest of the Top 20 at this point...[/COLOR]

Complete WAGs:

Eva: Cal or 'SC. Teri is great with flyers, backstrokers, and sprinters.

Ruck: Pro (can still swim for Canadian colleges), LSJU, or Cal

Baird: LSJU, 'SC, or Cal

Raab: Georgia, Tennessee, or LSJU

Lucie: Texas, LSJU, 'SC, Cal

AF: Cal or LSJU

Lee: LSJU, UVa, Michigan, or 'SC

Shelton: LSJU, 'SC, Cal, 'Zona

Bears will have a good class (great with two of Eva, AF, MSH, or Ruck). LSJU, Texas, 'SC, and Georgia will all do well too.

Claire stays in state with her commitment to ASU - AZ #2 and Nat #42

I think this is probably the 1st major women recruit for them where as their men team has at least 5 swimmers ranked in the top 5. She won in 2016 the Div 1 state meet in the 50 free and the 100 breast. "She also earned a 5th place finish at the 2016 Winter Junior Championships in the 100 breast, and qualified for the 2016 Olympic Trials in the event as well."

[SIZE=5]SCOTTSDALE'S CLAIRE GROVER STAYS IN-STATE WITH VERBAL TO ASU[/SIZE]

https://swimswam.com/scottsdales-claire-grover-stays-state-verbal-asu/

OBear073akaSMFan;842845586 said:

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Claire stays in state with her commitment to ASU - AZ #2 and Nat #42

I think this is probably the 1st major women recruit for them where as their men team has at least 5 swimmers ranked in the top 5. She won in 2016 the Div 1 state meet in the 50 free and the 100 breast. "She also earned a 5th place finish at the 2016 Winter Junior Championships in the 100 breast, and qualified for the 2016 Olympic Trials in the event as well."

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[COLOR="#006699"]Yup, a good get for the Sun Devils indeed! Claire's friends w/Taylor Ruck, and swims for [U]Scottsdale Aquatic Club[/U] where 2017 Baby Bear Ryan Hoffer also trains.

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Seeing that the collegiate plans of our super Canadian recruits Taylor & MSH are rather tough to predict with any degree of confidence right now, guess we'll just continue to keep our fingers crossed as we await Eva's decision with bated breath (may not be announced until after Merrell takes her official visits this autumn?).

Was thinking that in addition to Eva's fly & free sprint swag, we could really make use of her backstroke skillz as there really isn't anyone else from the combined classes of 2017 thru 2019 who readily comes to mind (at this point in time) that can come remotely close to making up for Thleen & Amy's backstroke contributions.

2020 will be quite a different story, judging by the heights that have already been scaled by uber propspects such as Regan Smith & Alex Walsh. Matter of fact, quite astonishing to imagine how much more time the pair's capable of dropping in the next 3 seasons of HS before they even get to hit the NCAA circuit!!

As a sidenote, a trio of talented locals in the [U]2019 class[/U] to keep an eye on for the future (stepping away from the backstroke path discussion for a sec)...kudos to BearDevil for the tip! :beer:
[INDENT]• Zoie Hartman (#1 CA, #8 Nat) - Danville | Crow Canyon Sharks
• Chloe Clark (#2 CA, #11 Nat) - Granite Bay | Sierra Marlins (...well, I'm considering the Greater Sac area as local here, relative to SoCal :p)
• Miranda Heckman (#4 CA, #16 Nat) - Livermore | Pleasanton Seahawks[/INDENT]

Anyway, here are PB times in the [U]100y Back[/U] (i.e. bonus relay value) for some of the better known 2018-2020 recruits that qualify for a 2017 NCAA 'B' cut. May have missed a number of promising backstrokers (esp from the 2020 class at this very, very early stage!), but basically these are primarily the back specialists, plus several aces in the other strokes + versatile multi-strokers who can put down a decent back race when asked to.

Recruit rankings as per CollegeSwimming.
[/COLOR]
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[COLOR="#4B0082"][SIZE=4][U]100y Back[/U][/SIZE] (2017 NCAA ‘A’ Cut: [U]51.45[/U])[/COLOR]


[COLOR="#000066"][INDENT]~ 2017 NCAA [COLOR="#ff3399"]A[/COLOR] Final Qualifying Time (8th) = [U]51.10[/U] ~[/INDENT]
[COLOR="#8B4513"]Current ��[/COLOR] [COLOR="#DAA520"][U]Kathleen Baker[/U][/COLOR] ...... 49.80...... 2017 NCAAs
[COLOR="#8B4513"]Current ��[/COLOR] [COLOR="#DAA520"][U]Amy Bilquist[/U][/COLOR] .......... 50.50...... 2016 Pac-12s[/COLOR]

[COLOR="#000033"][INDENT]~ 2017 NCAA [COLOR="#0066cc"]B[/COLOR] Final Qualifying Time (16th) = [U]51.73[/U] ~[/INDENT]
2020 recruit [U]Regan Smith[/U] ...... 51.09...... 2016 Dec
2020 recruit [U]Alex Walsh[/U] ......... 51.62...... 2015 Dec [/COLOR]

[COLOR="#003366"][INDENT]~ 2017 NCAA Slowest [COLOR="#0099cc"]Invited[/COLOR] Time (41st) = [U]52.65[/U] ~[/INDENT]
2018 recruit [U]Eva Merrell[/U] ........ 52.26...... 2016 Nov (#1 CA, #1 Nat)
2018 recruit [U]Julia Cook[/U] .......... 52.37...... 2017 Mar (#1 TX, #2 Nat) [COLOR="#808080"]{TEXAS commit}[/COLOR]
[COLOR="#8B4513"]Current ��[/COLOR] [COLOR="#DAA520"][U]Keaton Blovad[/U][/COLOR] ....... 52.41...... 2017 Pac-12s
2018 recruit [U]Lucie Nordmann[/U] .. 52.48...... 2017 Feb (#3 TX, #9 Nat)
2018 recruit [U]Emma Muzzy[/U] ...... 52.65...... 2017 Mar (#1 VA, #5 Nat) [COLOR="#808080"]{NC STATE commit}[/COLOR]
2019 recruit [U]Kat Berkoff[/U] ......... 52.65...... 2017 Mar (#1 MT, #5 Nat) [/COLOR]

[COLOR="#336699"][INDENT]~ 2017 NCAA '[COLOR="#0066cc"]B[/COLOR]' Cut: [U]55.09[/U] ~[/INDENT]
2018 recruit [U]Taylor Ruck[/U] ....... 52.95...... 2014 Dec (#1 AZ, #1 Nat)
[COLOR="#8B4513"]Current ��[/COLOR] [COLOR="#DAA520"][U]Jasmine Mau[/U][/COLOR] ........ 52.96...... 2015 Feb
2018 recruit [U]Grace Ariola[/U] ...... 53.04...... 2016 Dec (#1 IL, #6 Nat) [COLOR="#808080"]{TEXAS commit}[/COLOR]
2018 recruit [U]Sam Shelton[/U] ..... 53.04...... 2017 May (#3 CA, #17 Nat)
2019 recruit [U]Chloe Clark[/U] ....... 53.23...... 2016 May (#2 CA, #11 Nat)
2019 recruit [U]Caitlin Brooks[/U] .... 53.38...... 2016 Nov (#3 FL, #21 Nat)
2018 recruit [U]Alex Sumner[/U] ...... 53.41...... 2017 Feb (#1 PA, #29 Nat)
[COLOR="#8B4513"]2017 ��[/COLOR] [COLOR="#DAA520"][U]Sophie K-Zhou[/U][/COLOR] ......... 53.50...... 2016 May
2019 recruit [U]Alexandra Crisera[/U] 53.54...... 2017 May (#3 CA, #13 Nat)
[COLOR="#8B4513"]Current ��[/COLOR] [COLOR="#DAA520"][U]Abbey Weitzeil[/U][/COLOR] ....... 53.80...... 2015 Mar
2019 recruit [U]Kayla Sanchez[/U] .... 53.80...... 2017 Mar (#2 ON, #4 Nat) - (converted from 1:00.92 LCM)
2019 recruit [U]Isabel Ivey[/U] ......... 53.83...... 2017 Feb (#1 FL, #1 Nat)
[COLOR="#8B4513"]Current ��[/COLOR] [COLOR="#DAA520"][U]Courtney Mykkanen[/U][/COLOR] . 53.90...... 2015 Feb
[COLOR="#8B4513"]Current ��[/COLOR] [COLOR="#DAA520"][U]Aislinn Light[/U][/COLOR] ........... 54.31...... 2016 May
[COLOR="#8B4513"]2018 ��[/COLOR] [COLOR="#DAA520"][U]Cassidy Bayer[/U][/COLOR] ............ 54.78...... 2014 Dec [/COLOR]


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[COLOR="#2F4F4F"][SIZE=3][COLOR="#8B4513"]UPDATE[/COLOR][/SIZE]: Threw in some [U]200 Back[/U] times below for completeness' sake.

As noted by BD, "Backstroke U" is in pretty good hands for the next couple of seasons with our [U]Dream Team[/U] duo of Amy & Thleen at the helm

Same goes for "Butterfly Uni" - Katie McL, Maddie & 2018 commit Cassidy, along with Noemie's remaining year of eligibility.

Landing Eva would certainly help bridge the gap to the next gen of backstroke studs (Regan & Alex), as would developing in-house talents such as Keeks, Coco & incoming :bear: Sophie in the long run...
[/COLOR]


[COLOR="#ff3399"][SIZE=4][U]200y Back[/U][/SIZE] (2017 NCAA ‘A’ Cut: [U]1:51.95[/U])[/COLOR]


[COLOR="#000066"][INDENT]~ 2017 NCAA [COLOR="#ff3399"]A[/COLOR] Final Qualifying Time (8th) = [U]1:50.86[/U] ~[/INDENT]
[COLOR="#8B4513"]Current ��[/COLOR] [COLOR="#DAA520"][U]Kathleen Baker[/U][/COLOR] ...... 1:48.33...... 2017 Pac-12s
[COLOR="#8B4513"]Current ��[/COLOR] [COLOR="#DAA520"][U]Amy Bilquist[/U][/COLOR] .......... 1:49.90...... 2016 Pac-12s[/COLOR]

[COLOR="#000033"][INDENT]~ 2017 NCAA [COLOR="#0066cc"]B[/COLOR] Final Qualifying Time (16th) = [U]1:52.52[/U] ~[/INDENT]
2020 recruit [U]Regan Smith[/U] ...... 1:51.79...... 2016 Dec
2020 recruit [U]Alex Walsh[/U] ........ 1:52.07...... 2015 Dec
2018 recruit [U]Eva Merrell[/U] ........ 1:52.20...... 2016 Nov (#1 CA, #1 Nat)
2018 recruit [U]Alex Sumner[/U] ...... 1:52.33 ...... 2017 Mar (#1 PA, #29 Nat)[/COLOR]


[COLOR="#003366"][INDENT]~ 2017 NCAA Slowest [COLOR="#0099cc"]Invited[/COLOR] Time (40th) = [U]1:54.00[/U] ~[/INDENT]
2018 recruit [U]Taylor Ruck[/U] ....... 1:53.13...... 2014 Dec (#1 AZ, #1 Nat)
2018 recruit [U]Emma Muzzy[/U] ..... 1:53.38...... 2017 Mar (#1 VA, #5 Nat) [COLOR="#808080"]{NC STATE commit}[/COLOR]
2019 recruit [U]Katharine Berkoff[/U] 1:53.64...... 2017 Mar (#1 MT, #5 Nat)
[COLOR="#8B4513"]Current ��[/COLOR] [COLOR="#DAA520"][U]Keaton Blovad[/U][/COLOR] ...... 1:54.00...... 2017 Pac-12s
[/COLOR]


[COLOR="#336699"][INDENT]~ 2017 NCAA '[COLOR="#0066cc"]B[/COLOR]' Cut: [U]1:59.19[/U] ~[/INDENT]
2018 recruit [U]Lucie Nordmann[/U] .. 1:54.08...... 2015 Dec (#3 TX, #9 Nat)
2018 recruit [U]Julia Cook[/U] .......... 1:54.48...... 2017 Feb (#1 TX, #2 Nat) [COLOR="#808080"]{TEXAS commit}[/COLOR]
2018 recruit [U]Grace Ariola[/U] ....... 1:54.60...... 2014 Dec (#1 IL, #6 Nat) [COLOR="#808080"]{TEXAS commit}[/COLOR]
[COLOR="#8B4513"]Current ��[/COLOR] [COLOR="#DAA520"][U]Courtney Mykkanen[/U][/COLOR] 1:55.09...... 2017 Pac-12s
2019 recruit [U]Caitlin Brooks[/U] ..... 1:56.17...... 2017 Mar (#3 FL, #21 Nat)
[COLOR="#8B4513"]2017 ��[/COLOR] [COLOR="#DAA520"][U]Sophie K-Zhou[/U][/COLOR] .......... 1:56.79...... 2016 May
2019 recruit [U]Chloe Clark[/U] ........ 1:56.79...... 2016 Feb (#2 CA, #11 Nat)
2019 recruit [U]Kayla Sanchez[/U] ..... 1:56.83?...... 2016 Nov (#2 ON, #4 Nat)
2019 recruit [U]Alexandra Crisera[/U] . 1:57.47...... 2017 Mar (#3 CA, #13 Nat)
[COLOR="#8B4513"]Current ��[/COLOR] [COLOR="#DAA520"][U]Aislinn Light[/U][/COLOR] ........... 1:58.55...... 2017 Pac-12s
[/COLOR]


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[COLOR="#006699"][U]Footnote[/U]: Hope Cassidy's working on Reece (see below) to don the blue & gold... [/COLOR]


Cassidy Bayer [COLOR="#808080"]@ Penn State University Park[/COLOR]: 4 years ago my USA Swimming journey started at Zone Select camp and today these guys started theirs! These kids are something special and I can't wait to see where this sport takes them. The youngest of USA Swimming looks incredible ��������*♀️



https://instagr.am/p/BVI5hFPhWV-


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[COLOR="#006699"]Both of our [U]2018 commits[/U] are on the lists below! Go Cassidy & Elise[/COLOR] :gobears:


USA Swimming: There are 145 girls who will be 17 or younger who have qualified in 2017 (cal year) for the national champs in a few weeks.






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USA Swimming: A look at the top 18 & under people entered in each event. A lot of fast swimming ahead




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UrsusArctosCalifornicus;842778423 said:

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[COLOR="#006699"]
Distance - #11 Nat Jr teamer Erica Sullivan could help Chenoa & Anina out, if #19 Madison Homovich doesn't come our way?

https://www.collegeswimming.com/swimmer/356546/
[/COLOR]

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[COLOR="#000080"][SIZE=5]#8 ERICA SULLIVAN TO TAKE DISTANCE FREE PROWESS TO USC TROJANS IN 2018[/SIZE][/COLOR]




https://swimswam.com/8-erica-sullivan-take-distance-free-prowess-usc-trojans-2018/


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USA Swimming: Keep an eye out for several 18 & under swimmers to make big waves in Indy next week. [COLOR="#DAA520"]Cassidy Bayer[/COLOR] is one of those to be on the lookout for.





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UrsusArctosCalifornicus;842842718 said:

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[COLOR="#000080"][SIZE=5]TOP 20 NCAA SWIMMING RECRUITS IN THE GIRLS HIGH SCHOOL CLASS OF 2018[/SIZE][/COLOR]


7. Gabrielle Kopenski Texas Ford Aquatics Prosper High School McKinney, TX
Best Times: 500 free 4:37.95, 1650 free 15:56.39, 200 free 1:46.80, 400 IM 4:09.92

Just a few miles down the road from Pearl is the second Texan in our top 10. Kopenski is a true distance swimmer: she's not a big relay value, but makes up for that with big talent in her primary events. Kopenski has an A final time in the 500 free, plus a scoring time in the mile. Her 200 is strong enough to be a possible 800 free relay player and she's got a sneaky-good 400 IM that is improving rapidly (4:16 in late 2014; 4:11 in late 2016, 4:09 earlier this year).


https://swimswam.com/top-20-ncaa-swimming-recruits-girls-high-school-class-2018/

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Gabby Kopenski: I'm super excited to announce my verbal commitment to swim and further my academic career at Texas A&M ���� Thank you to all that have helped me along the way! I can't wait to be an Aggie! ❣️

UrsusArctosCalifornicus;842848872 said:

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Gabby Kopenski: I'm super excited to announce my verbal commitment to swim and further my academic career at Texas A&M ���� Thank you to all that have helped me along the way! I can't wait to be an Aggie! ❣️

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roolingLove them boots!!!!!!! Hee haw! Like them better than Ashley's

OBear073akaSMFan;842849181 said:

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roolingLove them boots!!!!!!! Hee haw! Like them better than Ashley's

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[COLOR="#006699"]Haha OBear :rollinglaugh:

But c'mon, admit it, you would prob be singing quite a different tune if Ashley had sensibly followed thru with a verbal after her visit here:




Instead of this :cry::




Just sayin'... :p[/COLOR]

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[COLOR="#000080"][SIZE=5]REACTION TIME: 2018 IS BY FAR THE FASTEST RECRUITING CLASS OFF THE BLOCKS[/SIZE][/COLOR]




As we approach July 1st, the date that had traditionally been the "starting block" for the college recruiting season, we notice that fully 13 of our top 20 boys from the high school class of 2018, and 10 of our top 20 high school girls, have already verbally committed to Division I programs. This is in stark contrast to past years, when "early" (pre-July 1) verbals were more of an outlier than the norm.


[U]EAM | M&W COMBINED 2018 COMMITS[/U]

Alabama | 1
Arizona | 1
Arizona State | 11
Auburn | 2
[COLOR="#DAA520"]Cal[/COLOR] | 3
Cincinnati | 1
Duke | 1
Florida | 8
Georgia | 3
Indiana | 3
Kentucky | 4
Michigan | 1
Minnesota | 1
NC State | 5
North Carolina | 1
Notre Dame | 4
Ohio State | 2
Pitt | 2
South Carolina | 1
Stanford | 1
Tennessee | 1
Texas | 9
Texas A&M | 1
UCLA | 1
USC | 2
Virginia | 1
Virginia Tech | 9
Wisconsin | 2

Grand Total | 82


https://swimswam.com/reaction-time-2018-far-fastest-recruiting-class-off-blocks/


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UrsusArctosCalifornicus;842801255 said:

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[COLOR="#006699"]Potentially a baby :bear: in the making for the freshman [U]class of 2019[/U]?? :cheer

Or am I just seeing what I want to see... :p (er, note the mostly obscured logo in this photo from Izzy today )
[/COLOR]

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BearDevil;842801451 said:

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Penny, Ivey, and Kate Douglass would be a good trade for KB, Amy, and McL in 2019!

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UrsusArctosCalifornicus;842801481 said:

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[COLOR="#006699"]+1000!!! :beer:

Don't forget to leave room in the scholly coffers for Alex Walsh & Regan Smith in 2020 though!

Oh, wouldn't mind if the tall bloke below (2018 class) was to become a baby :bear: on the men's side either... :p [/COLOR]

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UrsusArctosCalifornicus;842847229 said:

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[COLOR="#006699"]In addition to all the swimming & academic talent which Reece will be bringing to the table, another beary exciting potential contribution will be Reece's deep ties & close friendships with members of the US National Junior Team, something that is shared with fellow 2018 commit on the women's side, Cassidy Bayer! :beer:[/COLOR]

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Cassidy Bayer [COLOR="#696969"]@ Iupui Natatorium[/COLOR]: Ready to RACE with my mini me ����*♀️��




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Isabel Ivey [COLOR="#696969"]@ Iupui Natatorium[/COLOR]: the duo is backkk #worldchamptrials2017




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UrsusArctosCalifornicus;842807696 said:

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[COLOR="#006699"]A [U]2019[/U] candidate to keep an eye on is Emily Weiss (#2 IN, #14 Nat) who made a splash yesterday with her 59.37 in the [U]100 Breast[/U].[/COLOR]

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Emily Weiss: "Extremely excited to announce that I have verbally committed to the University of Indiana!! #iuredrevolution #gohoosiers" ... "Indiana University****"




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[COLOR="#006699"]
Hmmm, had thought that Emily was a [U]2019 recruit[/U]???!! :confused:
[/COLOR]
[INDENT]https://www.collegeswimming.com/swimmer/356525/[/INDENT]


Emily Weiss broke Lilly King's record at the high school state meet. Now Weiss gets her turn on a world stage.

The Yorktown swimmer secured a place on the U.S. team for August's World Junior Championships (women born in 2000 or later), also in Indianapolis.

"It's been a goal ever since I was 13 to make this team," she said.

Weiss, 16, was second in the "B" final of the 100 breaststroke in 1:07.99, smashing her own 15-16 state record and putting her No. 5 on the all-time U.S. list in that age group. Zoe Bartel, 16, of Fort Collins, Colo., was eighth in the "A" final in 1:08.00, or .01 seconds slower than Weiss.

Weiss won the 50 breaststroke Thursday, but that did not guarantee a junior worlds spot.

[INDENT]http://www.indystar.com/story/sports/2017/06/30/lilly-king-takes-aim-sweep-three-breaststroke-titles/404497001/[/INDENT]


------


[COLOR="#006699"]Guess I wasn't hallucinating or something lol ... confirmed by SwimSwam just now:[/COLOR]

[U][SIZE=4]EMILY WEISS, INDIANA HS RECORD HOLDER, VERBALS TO IU CLASS OF 2023[/SIZE][/U]


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UrsusArctosCalifornicus;842804722 said:

---

Taylor Ruck: �� #fearthetree


[COLOR="#696969"]Elise Garcia (#5 CA, #28 Nat), [COLOR="#B22222"]Anya Goeders (#1 IN, #27 Nat)[/COLOR], Taylor Ruck (#1 AZ, #2 Nat), Sam Shelton (#3 CA, #20 Nat), Shae Nicolaisen (#4 AZ, #169 Nat), Grace Ariola (#1 IL, #3 Nat) [/COLOR]

---

[COLOR="#006699"]Sprinter Anya Goeders has apparently committed to the Farm, according to [U]CollegeSwimming[/U] ... although haven't seen any direct confirmation of this yet:

[INDENT]https://www.collegeswimming.com/swimmer/348910/[/INDENT]

Keeping my fingers crossed that Zoe & Lucie are still keeping their options open! :p
[/COLOR]

[COLOR="#006699"]
Anya's verbal to LSJU has now been reported by [U]Swimming World[/U]:
[/COLOR]
--------


[COLOR="#003366"][SIZE=5]Stanford Snags Verbal Commit From Indiana Sprinter Anya Goeders[/SIZE][/COLOR]


http://www.swimmingworldmagazine.com/news/264664-2/


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[COLOR="#006699"]
Anya had turned a lot of heads with her scintillating 24.85 from 2016 Jr Pan Pacs - that [U]50m Free[/U] time would have been good for 6th place in the A final @ last week's Nationals, a mere 0.01 sec behind Olivia Smoliga, but ahead of Mallory Comerford who had won the [U]100m Free[/U] over Simone Manuel!

No surprise therefore that 'SC, Georgia, Tenn & Mich were also recruiting Anya!

Goeders was almost a whopping sec slower in the prelims @ 2017 Nationals tho... Redeemed herself somewhat by winning the C final in 25.28, but ultimately lost a potential selection to this year's Jr World Champs by virtue of higher placements in this event by Grace Ariola (A final) and 2019 recruit Kate Douglass (B final).

Nonetheless a great pick up by Greg Meehan who'll be looking hard to find suitable replacements for Janet Hu, Ally Howe & Lindsey Engel etc. after 2018 NCAAs. The Furd may have missed out on Elise (=> :bear: :beer & Grace (=> Horns), but have already received visits from super 2018 recruit Taylor, breast ace Zoe, backstroker Lucie & freestyler Samantha Shelton...

Anya becoming a furdette doesn't impact Bears massively, as Elise would fill a pretty similar role for us, plus we're also waiting to hear from Eva who could really help on the sprints & relay in addition to her studly back & fly
[/COLOR]

BearDevil;842778267 said:

---

Non-Cal ties:

-Allie Raab-TN Breast

---

UrsusArctosCalifornicus;842778423 said:

---

Have a feeling that #10 Allie Raab may be destined for the Farm or the Dawgs (legacy reasons)

---

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[COLOR="#000080"][SIZE=5]#9 IN CLASS OF 2018 ALLIE RAAB COMMITS TO STANFORD[/SIZE][/COLOR]




https://swimswam.com/9-in-class-of-2018-allie-raab-commits-to-stanford/


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[COLOR="#006699"]Big get for Meehan & the furdettes!

The big question is - where will #3 Zoe Bartel (an even faster breast recruit) head off to now, after having visited LSJU previously??
[/COLOR]

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UrsusArctosCalifornicus;842851172 said:

---

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[COLOR="#000080"][SIZE=5]#9 IN CLASS OF 2018 ALLIE RAAB COMMITS TO STANFORD[/SIZE][/COLOR]




https://swimswam.com/9-in-class-of-2018-allie-raab-commits-to-stanford/


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[COLOR="#006699"]Big get for Meehan & the furdettes!

The big question is - where will #3 Zoe Bartel (an even faster breast recruit) head off to now, after having visited LSJU previously??
[/COLOR]

--------

---

Was kind of surprise her older sister went to Ga in the 1st place. Think overall she under performed at Georgia.

UrsusArctosCalifornicus;842851172 said:

---

-----


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[COLOR="#006699"]Big get for Meehan & the furdettes!

The big question is - where will #3 Zoe Bartel (an even faster breast recruit) head off to now, after having visited LSJU previously??
[/COLOR]

--------

---

Wow, this is a huge plus for us, if Zoe Bartel doesn't end up at the Furd.

BearDevil;842778267 said:

---

Non-Cal ties:

-Zoe Bartel-CO 100/200 Breast, 200 IM, Medley relays

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UrsusArctosCalifornicus;842778423 said:

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[COLOR="#006699"]wouldn't come as a complete surprise to me if #7 Zoe Bartel signs on to bat for the Dark Side, though hope I'm completely off here, as finally getting a top class Breast stud (no disrespect to 2017 furdette Grace Zhao who really turned it on @ Winter Jrs) would take care of one of the few remaining weaknesses of Meehan's squad (actually come to think of it, would be a double whammy since Zoe would be so vital to the Bears in this critical area, though there's always Kate Douglass & Alex Walsh in the following classes).
[/COLOR]

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UrsusArctosCalifornicus;842837345 said:

---

[COLOR="#006699"]It's still relatively early in the recruiting cycle and nothing's set in stone quite yet, but the signs aren't too encouraging for us from looking at this photo posted by Zoe on social media today...doesn't help that ace backstroker Lucie would patch up a big hole for LSJU after Janet Hu & Ally Howe's graduation if Nordmann should also elect to join the furdette juggernaut... :cry: :bawl:
[/COLOR]

Zoe Bartel (#1 CO, #7 Nat) & Lucie Nordmann (#3 TX, #9 Nat)

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tedbear;842851178 said:

---

Wow, this is a huge plus for us, if Zoe Bartel doesn't end up at the Furd.

---

--------


Zoe Bartel: I still can't believe it… I'm going to be a Stanford tree! I'm incredibly excited and thankful to announce my verbal commitment to swim at Stanford University! Looking forward to life on the farm ��❤️ #fearthetree




https://instagr.am/p/BWME-ACBhtl


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[COLOR="#006699"][COLOR="#B22222"]UPDATE[/COLOR]: Now reported by [U]SwimSwam[/U]:[/COLOR]


[COLOR="#000080"][SIZE=5]NAG RECORD HOLDER AND SWIMSWAM’S #3 ZOE BARTEL VERBALS TO STANFORD[/SIZE][/COLOR]


https://swimswam.com/nag-record-holder-and-swimswams-3-zoe-bartel-verbals-to-stanford/


--------

No surprise here. The Furd is becoming the Northern version of SC with their collection of Breast stroke talent. Still no one to replace Hu or Howe, so their back and butterfly strokes are going to take a hit.

Seriously, Stanford has so over-recruited every school that they will win NCAA's for years to come... maybe even after Ledecky and Simone leave. They are National champs this year and have a very strong incoming 2017 class. Now the 2018 class looks like #1 in the Nation and we don't even know if they will get some more top swimmers in the 2018 class.

I just reviewed the men and women's recruit classes for 2016, 2017 & 2018 (to date). As previously stated, the women have been shutout of the top ten in both 2016 & 2017 but are off to a promising start in the current class. Stanford has really picked up the pace in women's recruiting and should dominate the Pac 12 for the forseeable future (IMO). Has the Cardinal changed tactics to gain the upper hand? Of course, 2015 was dominant class for both the Cardinal and the Bears (top six recruits): Cal had their fab four class (#2-#5) and Stanford landed Katie Ledecky #1 & Ella Eastin #6...

The men have been very strong recruiters in those two classes of 2016 (5 of top 16) & 2017 (5 of top 17) and have the top recruit in 2018 early on...Actually, Cal men also secured three foreign swimmers, too. Two possess bigtime potential, too! Dave Durden & Co seem to be doing everything right. GO BEARS!

longseeker;842851495 said:

---

Seriously, Stanford has so over-recruited every school that they will win NCAA's for years to come... maybe even after Ledecky and Simone leave. They are National champs this year and have a very strong incoming 2017 class. Now the 2018 class looks like #1 in the Nation and we don't even know if they will get some more top swimmers in the 2018 class.

---

Believe this is Simone's last year and hoping that perhaps Ledecky will go pro (pretty please) after 2 years! Stanford getting insane number of recruits but think many are going for school first which happens to be the hot school & coach now.

longseeker;842851495 said:

---

Seriously, Stanford has so over-recruited every school that they will win NCAA's for years to come... maybe even after Ledecky and Simone leave. They are National champs this year and have a very strong incoming 2017 class. Now the 2018 class looks like #1 in the Nation and we don't even know if they will get some more top swimmers in the 2018 class.

---

2018 title is a lock, but no guarantees after Manuel and Ledecky go pro. Manuel, Ledecky, Lia, Hu, Howe, Haase, Eastin was an awesome core. Forde for Eastin and Zoe for Haase, but otherwise nobody in the pipeline/on the horizon to replace the others. Lots of Iggys, Livingstons, Klays, and Drays, but no KDs or Stephs.

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tedbear;842851443 said:

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[U]Still no one to replace Hu or Howe, so their back and butterfly strokes are going to take a hit[/U].

---

BearDevil;842851532 said:

---

Forde for Eastin and Zoe for Haase, but [U]otherwise nobody in the pipeline/on the horizon to replace the others[/U]. Lots of Iggys, Livingstons, Klays, and Drays, but no KDs or Stephs.

---

[COLOR="#006699"]Precisely. 2018 recruiting season still in the early stages even at this year's unnaturally accelerated pace, so anything can still happen and the jury's still out at this point.

But unless #1 Eva + #2 Taylor were to go over to the dark side (unlikely in Merrell's case, at least IMO lol ... as for Ruck, will concede she did visit the Farm on their Junior Day, but the top end Canucks are sort of hard to predict when it comes to their intention to compete @ NCAAs - for example, 2019 Penny had just partnered up with ACICS yesterday, and 2018 MSH may go pro if she has a stellar meet in Budapest later this month), the furdette juggernaut will be quite vulnerable in a couple of key areas ([U]fly[/U] & [U]back[/U]) with Hu/Howe/Engel's departure, even as they scoop up the 2018 breast talent to augment their distance, IM & free dominance.

This comment from the [U]SwimSwam[/U] article on #3 Zoe Bartel's verbal to LSJU (& #9 Allie Raab) perhaps sums this up best, a topic that has actually been at the core of my private conversations with several of the board's contributors: [/COLOR]

[INDENT][COLOR="#330066"]Hannah: "Actually, Stanford's incoming classes, while good, are not unbeatable. While Bartel, Raab, and Goeders are all outstanding recruits, they are not going to be able to replace Janet Hu, Ally Howe, and Lindsey Engel. They just don't swim the right strokes. If Stanford cannot recruit/develop some amazing backstrokers or flyers, they will have a serious hole in their lineup which could leave then vulnerable to Cal, whose monster class of Kathleen Baker, Amy Bilquist, and Katie McLaughlin will still have another year of eligibility."[/COLOR]

https://swimswam.com/nag-record-holder-and-swimswams-3-zoe-bartel-verbals-to-stanford/
[/INDENT]

[COLOR="#006699"]Outside of the aforementioned Top 2 who are naturally highly prized for their top-end versatility & depth as well as for other qualities (Eva & Taylor), most of this class' [U]fly[/U] & [U]back[/U] studs have already committed to a programme not named Stanford:
[INDENT] #5 [COLOR="#DAA520"]Cassidy[/COLOR] & #18 [COLOR="#DAA520"]Elise[/COLOR] => :bear: [COLOR="#696969"](fly, free ... also IM in Bayer's case)[/COLOR]
#11 Dakota Luther & #12 Olivia Carter -> [U]Dawgs[/U] [COLOR="#696969"](fly)[/COLOR]
#17 Grace Ariola & #10 Julia Cook -> [U]Horns[/U] [COLOR="#696969"](back, free)[/COLOR]
#14 Emma Muzzy -> [U]the Wolfpack[/U] [COLOR="#696969"](back)[/COLOR]

...Dakota & Grace are probably rather under-rated by SwimSwam judging from their recent showings @ Nationals, IMO. [U]Texas[/U] & [U]Georgia[/U] certainly building a strong core in this class, with UGA also snagging distance swimmer Madison Homovich ... [U]A&M[/U] also demonstrating @ Worlds trials that they are quite adept at developing swimmers who previously weren't even on the National Junior team level or radar (already has distance & IM talent #7 Gabrielle Kopenski committed) ... and back to the Pac-12, we may have to keep an eye on [U]Trojanettes[/U] down the road, as Salo already has a verbal from #8 Erica Sullivan, the top distance swimmer of the class, and in with a great chance of reeling in Sophie Hansson, the Swedish Olympian breaststroker, to join her sister Louise.[/INDENT]

#16 backstroker Lucie Nordmann -> [COLOR="#006400"]��[/COLOR] would help patch those stroke holes for the furdettes to a limited extent, but wouldn't constitute a direct replacement for Hu or Howe since Lucie's current PBs aren't at the NCAA scoring level yet (her [U]200 Back[/U] time would have just missed out on qualifying for 2017 NCAAs). For reference, Eva already projects as a B final qualifier in the [U]200 Back[/U] and not too far off in the shorter back at NCs, in addition to her fly & free abilities.

Specialists Ruby Martin ([U]200 fly[/U]) and Alex Sumner ([U]200 Back[/U]) do boast B scoring times in their strongest events (longer fly & back respectively), but otherwise of relatively limited utility when it comes to contributing on relays at the highest level.

Reckon Bears are in pretty good shape with our 2 really talented 2018 commits (Cassidy & Elise) - with hopefully more good news to come! :cheer
[/COLOR]

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OBear073akaSMFan;842851521 said:

---

Believe this is Simone's last year and hoping that perhaps Ledecky will go pro (pretty please) after 2 years!

---

[COLOR="#006699"]Much as I share your wishes lol, and much as it would make financial sense for the furdette pair from an objective perspective, I still have a foreboding sense that both Ledecky & Manuel will somehow thwart our deepest desires and stubbornly stick to fulfilling their entire period of eligibility down on the Farm... :p :cry:[/COLOR]


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longseeker;842851495 said:

---

Seriously, Stanford has so over-recruited every school that they will win NCAA's for years to come... maybe even after Ledecky and Simone leave. They are National champs this year and have a very strong incoming 2017 class. Now the 2018 class looks like #1 in the Nation and we don't even know if they will get some more top swimmers in the 2018 class.

---

[COLOR="#006699"][U]2018 NCAAs[/U] may appear to be virtually in the bag for Greg Meehan's squad, at least on paper, but still reckon we have more than a reasonable chance to upset the furdette juggernaut @ [U]2019 NCAAs[/U] - esp if Teri can recruit Eva which I'm fairly optimistic about.

Eva + Taylor or MSH => [COLOR="#DAA520"]Cal[/COLOR] would seal the deal for us in my judgement - OTOH don't have much of a clue as to where those 2 Canadians may end up at - perhaps they'll choose to take the Emily Overholt route and attend uni north of the border, whilst at the same time competing as pro swimmers instead?

Add #15 sprinter Amalie Fackenthal from DART (Chenoa & Matt Whittle's club team), and perhaps her clubmate #33 Hallie Kinsey who can help out in the IMs & 200 Fly, and we should be in more than decent 2019 NCAA title-contending shape! #19 Samantha Shelton from Mission Viejo (Katie McL, Nick Norman etc) is also a consideration for her free prowess, but she did visit LSJU, and may additionally be a target for 'SC, UGA, Texas, Zona, Tenn and the likes.

Perhaps also welcome SoCal recruits #47 Mikki Thompson (was ranked #67 by College Swimming back in Nov 2016) or #80 Jessica Epps (the pair had visited us on Junior Day along with Elise & #81 Vivian Wang from Saratoga), or Atherton swimmer #47 Izzi Henig, if they want to come at a bargain...assuming there's still plenty of scholly funds left for the critical top-talent-heavy 2019-2020 classes, with our Dream Team having graduated by then!

With 2017 Ali Harrison's massive improvements in the shorter breast @ CIF Sectionals & States in May that are akin to 2016 Maddie's eye-opening fly & sprint development in her freshie year here, plus the 2017 breast/IM talents of Sarah Darcel & Dannie Dilsaver, think :bear: will do more than alright in the medley relay dept without 2018 furdettes-to-be Zoe or Allie, who we realistically weren't going to get anyway.

Actually may not hurt to woo #39 Ema Rajic who has a decent shorter breaststroke and an OK IM & sprint free as she did well at last week's Nationals. However, out-of-state recruits can be $$, and I think Carol has shown some interest in recruiting Ema down in Austin.

Anyway, throw in the back/IM of 2017 Sophie Krivokapic-Zhou, and the freestyle talent of 2017 Robin Neumann who could end up being the most significant recruit for us if our Dutch stud can parlay her long course skills into the little pool, and there is some cause for renewed optimism after the initial disappointments in some quarters with the (fallible) ranking of our previous 2 recruiting classes...

Just look too at how far Madds have come in just a single season of collegiate competition under Teri & Ian's wings, with Chenoa & Keaton continuing to steadily break PBs as they edge towards NCAA scoring territory! :beer:
[/COLOR]

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Schroeder71;842851518 said:

---

the women have been shutout of the top ten in both 2016 & 2017 but are off to a promising start in the current class.

---

[COLOR="#006699"]FWIW, reckon 2017 baby :bear: Sarah Darcel (CAN) & Robin Neumann (NED) would def make SwimSwam's Top 20, actually likely their Top 10, if internationals were to be considered in their rankings...

Sarah is already a potential NCAA 'A' final scorer in the [U]400 IM[/U], and a 'B' final scorer in both the [U]200 IM[/U] & [U]200 Breast[/U], based on her converted times! As for Robin, 'A' final potential in the [U]200 Free[/U], and a 'B' final potential in the [U]100 Free[/U] + invaluable relay contributions as a freestyle stud.

These rankings aren't always reliable indicators or predictors of how recruits will fare once they get to compete @ NCAAs though.

Don't forget that Maddie was originally rated #56 or lower in the 2016 class, yet she handily outdid all but one of SwimSwam's [U]Top 10[/U] recruits in individual event scoring @ 2017 NCAAs, not to mention contributing to a Championship Relay title in finals to boot! #10 Lindsey Horejsi did outscore Madds with her 23 pts, whilst #5 Claire Adams' 20 pts was on a comparable level of achievement.

As for that vaunted #1 furdette class of 2016, well #14 Megan Byrnes did hit it out of the park for LSJU with her 25 pts - but #6 Katie Drabot chipped in just 3 pts, #8 Allie Szekely 6 pts, and #11 Erin Voss 0 pts, I think...
[/COLOR]

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https://swimswam.com/penny-oleksiak-signs-four-year-partnership-asics-canada/

Penny officially a pro!

tedbear;842851778 said:

---

https://swimswam.com/penny-oleksiak-signs-four-year-partnership-asics-canada/

Penny officially a pro!

---

Sincere condolences, tedbear. So soon after Gunes. I feel your pain having suffered the loss of Finn Jenna. OBear was burned by Watanabe. We've been welcoming to foreigners on our humble little board thanks to UAC's prodigious posts in a language that appears vaguely familiar.

Elite Canadian swim recruits are now like elite college baseball or hoops recruits. Super talented program changers, but a risk to go pro before enrolling or leaving after a year. Noemie and Darcel hit the sweet spot; Ruck & MSH TBD.

BearDevil;842851790 said:

---

We've been welcoming to foreigners on our humble little board thanks to UAC's prodigious posts in a language that appears vaguely familiar.

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[COLOR="#006699"]Should be familiar, being the progenitor of the American language and all lol [/COLOR]

BearDevil;842851790 said:

---

Sincere condolences, tedbear. So soon after Gunes. I feel your pain having suffered the loss of Finn Jenna. OBear was burned by Watanabe.

---

[COLOR="#006699"]My abject sorrow & deepest, heartfelt sympathies go out also to tedbear on your sad loss. With a heavy heart & mind, we shall all fondly remember Penny (CAN) & Viktoriya Zeynep Gneş (UKR/TUR) for all that they could have brought to Berkeley!

Please take some comfort in the thought that I share a similar heart-rending loss in the cases of Siobhn Haughey (HKG), Freya Anderson (GBR), Minna Atherton (AUS) & Marrit Steenbergen (NED)... :bawl: :p[/COLOR]

BearDevil;842851790 said:

---

Noemie and Darcel hit the sweet spot; Ruck & MSH TBD.

---

[COLOR="#006699"]Loving our Vangroovy/BC pipeline! Also chuffed that Canucks make use of proper civilised spelling, unlike their neighbours to the south... :p[/COLOR]

BearDevil;842778267 said:

---

Targets:

-Samantha Shelton-Laguna Beach. Similar fly/sprint profile as Merrell. Same club as McL, Klaren, Norman, Forker.

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UrsusArctosCalifornicus;842851723 said:

---

#19 Samantha Shelton from Mission Viejo (Katie McL, Nick Norman etc) is also a consideration for her free prowess, but she did visit LSJU, and may additionally be a target for 'SC, UGA, Texas, Zona, Tenn and the likes.

---

[COLOR="#006699"]Ha, guess my guesses are completely off-target, once again!!!

Just as with Ingrid Wall from the [U]2017 recruits class[/U] who had visited Cal but ultimately went to Harvard, Sam Shelton seems to be taking a similar path after having visited LSJU eralier.

Seeing that 3 of the visitors to the Farm on their Junior Day have already elected to commit to other schools at this early stage ([COLOR="#DAA520"]Elise[/COLOR], Grace & Sam), this must come as happy tidings to tedbear as it could signify that there's still a chance of Taylor Ruck coming here if she's interested, and not planning to go pro... :p

Also keeping my fingers crossed that Sam not choosing the furdettes will not mean that Meehan's targeting Amalie in her stead!
[/COLOR]

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Samantha Shelton: I'm thrilled to announce my verbal commitment to further pursue my academic and athletic future at Harvard! I would like to thank everyone who has supported me along the way; especially my parents, teachers, and coaches. Can't wait to be a part of Harvard class of 2022! Go Crimson❤️




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UrsusArctosCalifornicus;842852114 said:

---

Seeing that 3 of the visitors to the Farm on their Junior Day have already elected to commit to other schools at this early stage ([COLOR="#DAA520"]Elise[/COLOR], Grace & Sam), this must come as happy tidings to tedbear as it could signify that there's still a chance of Taylor Ruck coming here if she's interested, and not planning to go pro... :p

---

[COLOR="#006699"]Was given a sobering reminder via PM of an alternative to my "glass half-full" conjecture above lol...

Instead of Sam committing to Harvard cos it's her dream school and the best fit for the smart Californian, another potential scenario could involve Greg Meehan & Tracy Slusser already having queued up one or more of #2 Taylor, #4 Morgan, #13 Easop and/or #15 Amalie (and dare I risk slip in the possible inclusion of #1 Eva in this mention, much as I still think that's quite unlikely :p), for the furdettes' [U]freestyle[/U] needs...and more??! :cry:

Anyway, wild speculations aside, Swimming World has now published their report on Samantha's verbal:
[/COLOR]

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[COLOR="#003366"][SIZE=5]CIF Champion Samantha Shelton Gives Verbal Commitment to Harvard[/SIZE][/COLOR]


http://www.swimmingworldmagazine.com/news/cif-champion-samantha-shelton-gives-verbal-commitment-to-harvard/


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[COLOR="#000080"][SIZE=5]SAMANTHA SHELTON SENDS GAME-CHANGING VERBAL TO HARVARD FOR 2018[/SIZE][/COLOR]


https://swimswam.com/samantha-shelton-sends-game-changing-verbal-to-harvard-for-2018/


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UrsusArctosCalifornicus;842852194 said:

---

[COLOR="#006699"]Was given a sobering reminder via PM of an alternative to my "glass half-full" conjecture above lol...

Instead of Sam committing to Harvard cos it's her dream school and the best fit for the smart Californian, another potential scenario could involve Greg Meehan & Tracy Slusser already having queued up one or more of #2 Taylor, #4 Morgan, #13 Easop and/or #15 Amalie (and dare I risk slip in the possible inclusion of #1 Eva in this mention, much as I still think that's quite unlikely :p), for the furdettes' [U]freestyle[/U] needs...and more??! :cry:

Anyway, wild speculations aside, Swimming World has now published their report on Samantha's verbal:
[/COLOR]

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[COLOR="#003366"][SIZE=5]CIF Champion Samantha Shelton Gives Verbal Commitment to Harvard[/SIZE][/COLOR]


http://www.swimmingworldmagazine.com/news/cif-champion-samantha-shelton-gives-verbal-commitment-to-harvard/


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---

I believe I've read where Easop's dream school is Stanford so if she qualifies she will most likely be a furd commit.

UrsusArctosCalifornicus;842851723 said:

---

Actually may not hurt to woo #39 Ema Rajic who has a decent shorter breaststroke and an OK IM & sprint free as she did well at last week's Nationals. However, out-of-state recruits can be $$, and I think Carol has shown some interest in recruiting Ema down in Austin.

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[COLOR="#006699"]Haha, beary warm welcome to baby :bear: Ema (#2 IL, #39 Nat)!!! :cheer :gobears:

Collegeswimming profile: https://www.collegeswimming.com/swimmer/282205/

...noticed just now from a quick glance at Ema's progress charts that Rajic has busted out some pretty massive time drops in her auxiliary events, free & fly, between Feb 2016 & Feb 2017... :beer:
[/COLOR]

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Ema Rajic: Super excited to announce my verbal commitment to the University of California Berkeley!! I want to thank all my family, friends, and coaches for helping me commit to my dream school! Can't wait to be a baby bear!! Go bears!!! ������ #babybear




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UrsusArctosCalifornicus;842842718 said:

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[U]HONORABLE MENTIONS[/U]:

Alex Sumner (Suburban Seahawks / East Alleghany High School / Swarthmore, PA)

She's got an NCAA scoring-level 200 back, which is hard to leave off the list. She's also on a massive improvement curve there: from 1:56.0 in Dec. 2015 to 1:55.0 in Dec. 2016 to 1:52.3 just a few months ago. But her 100 back (53.41) is a ways off of scoring, and her IMs are very developmental (2:00/4:15).

https://swimswam.com/top-20-ncaa-swimming-recruits-girls-high-school-class-2018/

---

[COLOR="#006699"]Hey sweet flood of verbals coming in our way today!!! :bravo

A massive welcome goes out from the :bear: family to Alex Sumner (#1 PA, #30 Nat)!!!


Alex's Collegeswimming profile: https://www.collegeswimming.com/swimmer/346601/

Go Backstroke U!!! :woohoo
[/COLOR]

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Alex Sumner: Very excited to announce my verbal commitment to swim at the University of California Berkeley!!! I can't wait to further my academic and swimming careers with the support of such an amazing team and coaches! Go Bears ������




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