Grimes To Virginia: The rich get richer as the University of Virginia adds Olympic medalist Katie Grimes to their roster for the 2024-25 season.
Also: A star-studded group of swimmers commit to the World Cup series, University of Texas swimmers show out at the Orange/White intrasquad, and Hunter Armstrong returns to train at Ohio State.
#1 Katie Grimes Finally Makes College Commitment
Katie Grimes, the top-ranked recruit in the girls' high school class of 2024, announced her college commitment last week, putting an end to two years of questioning whether or not the two-time Olympian would compete in the NCAA.
Grimes has committed to the University of Virginia, the best women's team in the nation, which is seeking its fifth straight NCAA title this season.
After much thought and consideration, I am more than excited to announce my commitment to University of Virginia!! Thank you to all of the coaches for your patience with me during this process. I am extremely grateful for my family, friends, and faith for guiding me to this point. Huge thank you to my team, Sandpipers, and Coach Ron for everything. I also want to give thanks to the team and staff at UVA and Coach Todd for all the support. đ§Ąđ
Grimes, 18, qualified for the Olympics at the age of 15, placing 4th in the women's 800 freestyle in Tokyo. This past summer in Paris, she earned her first Olympic medal by claiming silver in the women's 400 IM. She was also 10th in the 1500 free and 15th in the 10km open water event.
Grimes waited until after the 2024 Olympics to make her college decision and was reportedly still making campus visits earlier this semester before finally landing on the Cavaliers.
She is the fastest swimmer in the 2024 high school class in six different events, and her best times in the 500 and 1650 free would've won the NCAA titles last season.
After spending the entirety of her swimming career training with the Sandpipers of Nevada in Las Vegas, Grimes joins a stacked UVA roster that includes NCAA champions and Olympic medalists Alex Walsh, Gretchen Walsh and Claire Curzan.
Read more here.
Marchand, McKeown Headline 12 Swimmers Committed To World Cup Series
A star-studded group of 12 swimmers has committed to all three stops of the 2024 World Cup series, including six individual Paris Olympic champions.
Reigning Olympic gold medalists Leon Marchand, Kaylee McKeown, Kate Douglass, Pan Zhanle, Nicolo Martinenghi and Thomas Ceccon have all locked in for the series, as have fellow 2024 Olympic medalists Regan Smith, Siobhan Haughey and Zhang Yufei.
Triple 2023 world champion Qin Haiyang, two-time Olympic medalist Arno Kamminga and four-time Olympic medalist Chad Le Clos round out the 'Tremendous 12' group of swimmers racing the full series announced by World Aquatics on Tuesday.
Swimmers Committed To Full Series
- Thomas Ceccon (ITA)
- Chad Le Clos (RSA)
- Qin Haiyang (CHN)
- Leon Marchand (FRA)
- Nicolo Martinenghi (ITA)
- Arno Kamminga (NED)
- Pan Zhanle (CHN)
- Kate Douglass (USA)
- Siobhan Haughey (HKG)
- Kaylee McKeown (AUS)
- Regan Smith (USA)
- Zhang Yufei (CHN)
The series, which will be contested in short course meters, kicks off Oct. 18-20 in Shanghai, China, and will have subsequent stops in Incheon, South Korea (Oct. 24-26) and Singapore (Oct. 31-Nov.2). Each meet will be three days with prelims and finals.
The full list of athletes competing at the Incheon and Singapore stops has not yet been released by World Aquatics. You can find the breakdown of the Shanghai entries here.
Read more here.
Newcomers Impress At Texas' Orange v. White Intrasquad
Some of the new names on the University of Texas roster performed well during their first time competing for the Longhorns during the annual Orange v. White intrasquad meet on Thursday, officially renamed the Sam Kendricks Classic following the death of the longtime swimming commentator in 2022.
Arizona State transfer Hubert Kos put up the top time in the menâs 100 back (45.48) and 200 back (1:40.61), and also placed a close 2nd to Nate Germonprez in the 200 IM, 1:43.32 to 1:43.37.
Kos, the reigning Olympic champion in the men's 200 back, owns best times of 43.75/1:35.69 in the backstroke events, and placed 4th and 2nd, respectively, at the 2024 NCAA Championships.
Germonprez, a sophomore, was among the standouts at the meet, setting a new best time in the 100 breast (52.43) and nearing his PB in the 200 breast (1:55.02) to go along with his 200 IM win.
In addition to Kos, another transfer who impressed was Rex Maurer, who joined the Longhorns after one season at Stanford. Maurer notably blasted a time of 4:14.19 in the 500 free, more than two seconds faster than he went at the 2024 NCAA Championships (4:16.69) and within two and a half seconds of his best time (4:11.88).
On the women's side, sophomore Erin Gemmell, redshirt freshman Jillian Cox and true freshman Piper Enge all performed well, collecting two individual wins apiece.
Gemmell won the 100 free (49.70) and 200 free (1:46.14), Cox topped the 500 free (4:49.01) and 1000 free (9:46.38), and Enge paced the 100 breast (1:01.07) and 200 breast (2:15.06).
Read more here.
Hunter Armstrong Returns To Train At Ohio State After Two Years At Cal
Three-time Olympic medalist Hunter Armstrong is returning to Columbus, Ohio, to train at his alma mater, Ohio State University, under coach Bill Dorenkott for the next Olympic cycle.
Armstrong, 23, rose to prominence during his collegiate career at Ohio State, including qualifying for the U.S. Olympic team and winning a relay gold medal in 2021. In 2022, he opted to follow coach Matt Bowe to Cal after Bowe was named the Bears' new assistant coach.
Prior to the 2023-24 season, Bowe was named the head coach at the University of Michigan, and Armstrong stayed in Berkeley to train under Cal head coach Dave Durden.
After two years at Cal, which included qualifying for a second Olympic team and winning two more relay medals in Paris, Armstrong returns to OSU to not only train, but work towards his degree and look to the future.
âI learned so much in California and loved my time with their team and coaches, but when I made my move to California it was supposed to only be two years with Matt," Armstrong said. "Iâm ready to start moving toward my life after swim which requires a degree, a house, and a family, which I couldnât do in California."
Armstrong says he plans to finish his career training at Ohio State, and that while the current objective is to swim through the 2028 Olympics in Los Angeles, he's not 100% sure that will be the case.
âI will be at Ohio State until the end of my career. I hope that means LA (2028 Olympic Games), but a lot can happen in four years. But I have shifted my focus from just swimming into setting up for my life after swimming.â
Quick Hits
- U.S. Para Swimming has shut down its resident training program in Colorado Springs, effective Oct. 3.
- "After evaluating resources post-Paralympic Games, U.S. Para Swimming has made the difficult decision to discontinue the Para Swimming resident training program at the CSOPTC, effective today. As a result, resident coach George Leatherman will also be leaving the USOPTC," U.S. Para Swimming said in an email to swimmers.
- The Ohio State athletics department has cut men's gymnastics, a move seen as the tip of the iceberg for non-revenue generating sports in the NCAA.
- In addition to Grimes, some of the top college commitments that have come down in the last week:
- Could something similar to the Regional Training Centers we see in U.S. wrestling be a solution to the roster cuts we're seeing in NCAA swimming?
- Canadian sensation Summer McIntosh was featured on TIME Magazine's "TIME100 Next 2024" list after winning three Olympic gold medals and adding one silver at the 2024 Paris Games. The annual list celebrates 100 rising leaders across an array of fields including entertainment, politics, business, sport and more, who are âshaping the future and defining the next generation of leadership.â
- Find recaps from the weekend's slate of college dual meets here.
By Braden Keith on SwimSwam
Grimes, already a two-time U.S. Olympian, teased her college decision in an Instagram post on Wednesday night with the caption "Hoo's ready".
Read the full story on SwimSwam: At Long Last, Katie Grimes, #1 Recruit in the Class of 2024, Makes Her College Decision
By James Sutherland on SwimSwam
The stars are coming out in full force for the 2024 World Cup series, with six reigning Olympic champions committing to all three legs.
Read the full story on SwimSwam: Marchand, McKeown, Smith & Douglass Headline âTremendous 12â Confirmed For World Cup Series
By Braden Keith on SwimSwam
US Olympian Hunter Armstrong (right) will reunite with his former coach Bill Dorenkott (left) at Ohio State in the new quad.
Read the full story on SwimSwam: Hunter Armstrong Returns to Train at Ohio State Toward LA2028 Olympics
By James Sutherland on SwimSwam
Hubert Kos debuted for the Longhorns by posting times of 45.48 in the 100 back, 1:40.61 in the 200 back, and 1:43.37 in the 200 IM.
Read the full story on SwimSwam: Kos, Maurer & Germonprez Shine As Texas Opens Season With Orange/White Intrasquad
By Sophie Kaufman on SwimSwam
U.S. Para Swimming informed athletes via email on Wednesday, Oct. 3 the resident program in Colorado Springs would be shut down, effective the same day.
Read the full story on SwimSwam: U.S. Para Swimming Shuts Down Colorado Springs Resident Training Program
By Braden Keith on SwimSwam
Ohio State, the richest athletics department in the country, has dropped the scholarships from the men's varsity gymnastics team.
Read the full story on SwimSwam: Ohio State Drops Menâs Gymnastics Scholarships After ADâs âMore Like a Club Sportâ Comments
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