Arizona Wildcats Land Verbal From Canada’s Axana Merckx
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NEW COMMIT: The University of Arizona has received a verbal commitment for the fall of 2019 from Kelowna, British Columbia’s Axana Merckx.
Merckx swims year-round for the Kelowna Aquajets. She most recently competed at Canadian Junior Championships where she was a four-time finalist which included a fourth-place finish in the 200m IM and a sixth-place showing in the 400m IM. She also raced four events at Canadian Trials and posted a pair of best times with four finals appearances at Canadian Championships in April. Merckx also had five top-6 finishes at the Western Canadian Championships.
She told Swimming World:
“I am very excited about my verbal commitment to the University of Arizona. When I went on my recruiting trip, Coach Augie and the team made me feel welcome and at home right away. I am not only impressed by the athletics, but by the academics the university has to offer and I am looking forward to the next four years as a Wildcat! Bear down!”
In LCM, her best times include:
- 200m IM – 2:20.09
- 400m IM – 4:56.83
- 100m breast – 1:14.25
- 200m breast – 2:38.14
- 100m back – 1:04.70
- 200m back – 2:18.53
In SCY, those times convert to:
- 200 IM – 2:03.32
- 400 IM – 4:21.64
- 100 breast – 1:05.09
- 200 breast – 2:18.86
- 100 back – 57.20
- 200 back – 2:02.63
When she arrives in Tucson for the 2019-20 season Merckx will join an IM training group that includes Mallory Korenwinder. Under head coach Augie Busch, the Wildcats finished fifth at the 2018 Pac-12 Championships.
If you have a commitment to share, please send a photo and quote via email to hs@swimmingworld.com.