Chandler Brandes - (Author)

Brooke Orner Lends 2027 Verbal Commitment to West Virginia NEW COMMIT: West Virginia University has gained its first public verbal commitment for the 2027-28 season from Junior National qualifier Brooke Orner of Ridge, New York. Orner specializes in freestyler and butterfly. Regarding her commitment...

Italy's Francesco Ceolin, Euro Juniors Finalist, Lends 2027 Verbal to Harvard NEW COMMIT: Harvard University has received a verbal commitment* for Fall 2027 from Italian international Francesco Ceolin. Ceolin, who Treviso, Italy, specializes in butterfly and freestyle. Regarding his commitment, he s...

Freestyler/IMer Sarah Pelinkovic Pledges 2027 Verbal to Iowa Hawkeyes NEW COMMIT: The University of Iowa has scored a verbal commitment for the 2027-28 season and beyond from Sarah Pelinkovic of Hinsdale, Ill. She is a Futures qualifier who excels in freestyler and IM. Regarding her commitment, she ...

In-State Standout Aidyn Reese Sends 2027 Verbal Pledge to FSU Seminoles NEW COMMIT: Florida State University has earned a new verbal commitment for the 2027-28 season and beyond from breaststroker and sprint freestyler Aidyn Reese. Reese hails from Windermere, Florida, about 250 miles northwest of T...

Distance Specialist Maddy Brennan Verbally Commits to Louisville for 2027 NEW COMMIT: The University of Louisville has scored a new verbal commitment for the 2027-28 season and beyond from Robbinsville, New Jersey native Maddy Brennan. Brennan, a U.S. Open qualifier, is a talented distance freestyle...

Sprint Freestyler Andrew Malaj Selects Indiana For 2027 NEW COMMIT: Indiana University has received a verbal commitment for the 2027-28 season and beyond from Nokomis, Florida native Andrew Malaj. Malaj is among the top sprint freestylers in his class. Regarding his commitment, he said: "I am super ...

Cal Golden Bears Score 2027 Verbal From CIF State Runner-Up Mia Su NEW COMMIT: The University of California, Berkeley has scored a verbal commitment for Fall 2027 from Mia Su, an in-state standout hailing from Sunnyvale, Calif. Su is a breaststroke and IM specialist who is among the top recruits in ...

Futures Qualifier Annie Gilligan Stays In-State, Verbals to Iowa State for 2027 NEW COMMIT: Iowa State University has picked up a verbal commitment for the 2027-28 season and beyond from in-state standout Annie Gilligan. Gilligan is a native of Dubuque, Iowa, and specializes in sprint freestyle and ...

Princeton Gets 2027 Verbal Commitment From Fly/IMer Isabel Wu NEW COMMIT: Princeton University has secured a big verbal commitment* for the 2027-28 season and beyond from U.S. Open qualifier Isabel Wu out of Sunnyvale, Calif. Wu among the best IMers and butterflyers in her class. Regarding her commi...

Vanya Gojakovic Stays Local, Verbals to Northwestern for 2027 NEW COMMIT: Evanston, Illinois native Vanya Gojakovic will stay close to home for her college career. The Futures qualifier has verbally committed to Northwestern University and will arrive on campus in Fall 2027. Regarding her commitment...

Arizona State Record Holder Delaney Barbee Gives 2027 Verbal to Sun Devils NEW COMMIT: Arizona State University has kept local standout Delaney Barbee in-state for her college career. The sprint freestyler hails from New River, Arizona, about 45 minutes north from Tempe. Regarding her commitment, sh...

Ella Butcher, Arkansas 6A State Champion, Selects Utah for 2027 NEW COMMIT: Freestyler and backstroker Ella Butcher has pledged her verbal commitment to the University of Utah beginning in Fall 2027. The Futures qualifier is a native of Centerton, Ark. Regarding her commitment, she said: "I am beyon...

Sub-1:00 Breaststroker Sofia Szymanowski Verbally Commits to Michigan for 2027 NEW COMMIT: The University of Michigan has scored a big verbal commitment for Fall 2027 from Sofia Szymanowski, a breaststroker who is among the top recruits in this class. She hails from Newport Coast, Calif. Regarding h...

NEW COMMIT: Texas A&M University has recorded a new verbal commitment for Fall 2027 from distance ace Jackson Irwin out of Sarasota, Fla. Irwin is among the top recruits in his class. Regarding his commitment, he said: "I am excited to announce my academic and athletic commitment to Texas A&M. I wan...

NEW COMMIT: Junior National qualifier Eleanor Geraghty of Medford, Oregon, has announced her verbal commitment to the University of Notre Dame. The sprinter will arrive on campus ahead of the 2027-28 season. Regarding her commitment, she said: "I am so excited to share my verbal commitment to become...

NEW COMMIT: Junior National qualifier Landon Hall of Knoxville, Tenn., has announced his verbal commitment to continue his academic and athletic career at Arizona State University. He will arrive on campus in Fall 2027. Regarding his commitment, he said: "I am so happy to announce my verbal commitme...

35 Things Swimmers Sometimes Take for Granted By Chandler Brandes, Swimming World College Intern We all have a love-hate relationship with swimming. Although we sometimes complain about the early mornings and the hard workouts, at the end of the day, we keep coming back. We can get caught up in the ...

NEW COMMIT: The University of Southern California has scored a verbal commitment for the 2027-28 season and beyond from Lexi Byrn out of Boulder, Colo. Byrn specializes in butterfly and won the 200 fly at Juniors West last month. Regarding her commitment, she said: "After careful consideration I am ...

NEW COMMIT: Duke University has signed breaststroker Reese Reilly out of Cincinnati, Ohio, for the 2026-27 season and beyond. Reilly is a talented breaststroker who is a Junior National finalist. Regarding her commitment, she said: "I’m beyond excited and grateful to announce my verbal commitment to...

By Chandler Brandes (From the Archive) Swimmers spend the majority of our time with our faces in the water staring at a black line lap after lap. Although we don’t get the opportunity to speak too often during practice, when we do get the chance to talk, we have a lot to say. In the rare instance wh...