BERKELEY - The California women's swimming & diving program has signed a generational recruiting class, inking four of the nation's top 10 recruits for the 2025-26 season.
Director of Swimming & Diving David Durden announced seven new student-athletes are headed to Berkeley, including Teagan O'Dell of Chino Hills (No. 2 national recruit according to SwimSwam), No. 3 Claire Weinstein of White Plains, New York (No. 3, 2024 Summer Olympian), Annie Jia of Horsham, Pennsylvania (No. 8) and Elle Scott of Charlotte, North Carolina (No. 9). The Golden Bears are also adding Ella Cosgrove of Tucson, Arizona (No. 19), Alexa McDevitt of Bainbridge Island, Washington (honorable mention) and Gracyn Aquino of Santa Margarita (California state champion).
"We wanted to find high-level swimmers who want a great education and want to be the best in the world," Durden said. "We are fortunate that we have a good group coming in that is looking to do that. We have athletes ready to come in and make an immediate impact at a high level."
O'Dell has the top high school times in the nation in the class of 2025 in the 100-yard backstroke (50.96), 200 backstroke (1:51.00) and 200 individual medley (1:53.38) – all three of those times would have placed her in the finals at last season's NCAA Championships. She also qualified for the U.S. Olympic Trials in both backstroke events and advanced to the final of the 200 back.
Weinstein qualified for the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris and helped Team USA win the silver medal in the 800 freestyle relay. She also advanced to the finals of the 200 freestyle. Weinstein is especially strong in the distance races and has the top times in the country in her class in the 500 free (4:29.38), 1,000 free (9:17.85) and 1,650 free (15:52.84). Her top mark in the 500 free would have won the NCAA championship last season and she would have placed fifth in the 1,650 free.
Jia is a multiple Pennsylvania state champion who qualified for the 2024 U.S. Olympic Trials in the 100 butterfly. Her top time in the event of 51.09 would have placed her ninth at last season's NCAA Championships.
Scott is a high school All-American and North Carolina state champion whose top times in the 100 breast (59.64) and 200 IM (1:56.25) would have put her in the mix for the B-final at the 2024 NCAA Championships.
Cosgrove, Aquino and McDevitt are all high school All-Americans and state champions. McDevitt qualified for the 2024 U.S. Olympic Trials in the 400 IM.
