Chandler Brandes - (Author)

In-State Sprinter Dar Lavrenko To Join Cal's Class of 2025 NEW COMMIT: The University of California, Berkeley, has continued to put together an impressive recruiting class for Fall 2025, with its latest verbal pledge coming from in-state standout Dar Lavrenko of Mountain View, Calif. He will join Ju...

Alana Berlin Pledges Verbal Commitment to Stanford in 2025 NEW COMMIT: Stanford University has picked up yet another big verbal commitment for Fall 2025, this time from U.S. Open Qualifier Alana Berlin of Franklin, Wisconsin. She will join Addie Robillard, Ella Jablonski and Annam Olasewere on The F...

NC State Snags 2025 Verbal From Local Standout Aaron Davidson  NEW COMMIT: North Carolina State University has kept local standout Aaron Davidson of Raleigh in-state for his college career, as Davidson has verbally committed to join the Wolfpack in Fall 2025. Regarding his commitment, he said: “I am...

Olympic Trials Qualifier Grace Rabb Hands 2025 Verbal to Gators NEW COMMIT: Chaska, Minnesota native Grace Rabb will head to a warmer climate for her college career, as the Olympic Trials qualifier has verbally committed to the University of Florida beginning in Fall 2025. She will join Lynsey Bowen...

Washington 4A State Champion Sophia Sunwoo Gives 2025 Verbal to Princeton NEW COMMIT: Princeton University has earned a new verbal commitment* for Fall 2025 from Sophia Sunwoo of Bellevue, Washington. She will join Sydney Willson and Savannah Skow as a member of the Tigers’ Class of 2029. Regarding ...

Cal Picks Up 2025 Verbal From Distance Ace Julien Rousseau NEW COMMIT: The University of California, Berkeley, has secured a new verbal commitment for Fall 2025 from in-state standout Julien Rousseau of San Diego. He will join Kenneth Barnicle, Caiden Bowers, Norvin Clonts, Ian Platts-Mills and Andr...

Longhorns Secure 2025 Pledge From TAC Titans' Clem Camacho NEW COMMIT: The University of Texas has scored a new verbal commitment for Fall 2025 from Clem Camacho of Wilmington, North Carolina. He will join Evan Conti in Austin as a member of the Longhorns' Class of 2025. Regarding his commitment, he...

Junior National 200 Breast Champ Addie Robillard Verbals to Stanford for 2025 NEW COMMIT: Stanford University has picked up yet another impressive verbal commitment for the fall of 2025, this time from breaststroker and Olympic Trials qualifier Addie Robillard of Mason, Ohio. She will join Ella Jabl...

The 7 Sins of Swimming (From the Archive - Originally Published 2017) By Chandler Brandes There is no such thing as a perfect swimmer. As swimmers, we sometimes (although rarely) make mistakes. We may DQ, forget our heat and lane, or even accidentally-on-purpose rip our cap at the exact moment a har...

Five-Time Washington State Champ Ella Jablonski Verbals To Stanford For 2025 NEW COMMIT: Stanford University has secured another verbal commitment for Fall 2025, this time from Ella Jablonski of Seattle, Washington. She will join Annam Olasewere on The Farm as a member of the Cardinal's Class of 202...

Breaststroker Bella Brito Verbally Commits to USC for 2025 NEW COMMIT: The University of Southern California has kept California product Bella Brito of Santa Monica in-state for her college career, as the breaststroke standout verbally committed to the Trojans for 2025-26. She ranks second all-time ...

Louisville Starts 2025 Recruiting With Verbal From Nate Thomas NEW COMMIT: The University of Louisville has picked up its first verbal commitment for the 2025-26 season and beyond on the men's team from backstroker and IMer Nate Thomas of Jackson, Missouri. Regarding his commitment, he said: “I’m th...

Michigan Grabs 2025 Verbal From Chilean National Record Holder Montse Spielmann NEW COMMIT: The University of Michigan has received a new verbal commitment for the 2025-26 season and beyond from Montse Spielmann of San Antonio, Texas. Spielmann represents Chile internationally and is the national re...

World Juniors Silver Medalist Annam Olasewere Pledges '25 Verbal to Stanford NEW COMMIT: Sprint freestyler and Olympic Trials qualifier Annam Olasewere of Westport, Connecticut, will head to the West Coast for her college career after verbally committing to Stanford University beginning in Fall 2025...

Vols Grab 2025 Verbal From Olympic Trials Qualifier Jake McCoy NEW COMMIT: Olympic Trials qualifier Jake McCoy of Pullman, Washington, has pledged his verbal commitment to continue his academic and swimming career at the University of Tennessee beginning in Fall 2025. His older sister, Taylor McCoy,...

The 29 Confessions of a Distance Swimmer - From the Archives By Chandler Brandes "I didn't choose the distance life. The distance life chose me." Well, not quite. Distance swimmers are all born the same way: we swam the 500 for the first time around age nine or 10 and didn't do too badly, so our coa...

Longhorns Secure 2025 Verbal Pledge From Evan Conti NEW COMMIT: The University of Texas has secured a verbal pledge for Fall 2025 from U.S. Open qualifier Evan Conti of Batavia, Illinois. Regarding his commitment, he said: "I’m extremely honored to announce my verbal commitment to continue my academ...

Lady Vols Add 2025 Verbal From Sectional Champion Nicole Zettel NEW COMMIT: The University of Tennessee has picked up another big verbal commitment for Fall 2025 from Nicole Zettel of Holly Springs, North Carolina. She will join Mere Whelehan, Avery Luedke and Lilly Robertson as a member of the Lady...

Indiana Grabs 2025 Verbal From Puerto Rican National Age Group Record Holder Luci Gutierrez NEW COMMIT: Indiana University has received a new verbal commitment for the 2025-26 season and beyond from Junior National qualifier Luci Gutierrez of Eastchester, New York. Gutierrez holds the Puerto Rico na...

Versatile Campbell McKean Lends 2025 Verbal to USC NEW COMMIT: The University of Southern California has received a new verbal commitment for the 2025-26 season and beyond from the versatile Campbell McKean of Bend, Oregon. He told Swimming World: “I’m stoked to announce that I will be pursuing my a...