Cal Golden Bears Pick Up In-State Verbal from Junior National Finalist Téa Laughlin

Photo Courtesy: Téa Laughlin

NEW COMMIT: The University of California, Berkeley has received an in-state verbal commitment for the 2020-21 season and beyond from Ventura, Calif. native Téa Laughlin.

She will become the second collegiate swimmer in her family: her older sister, Solie Laughlin, recently graduated from UC Davis where she was a multi-time MPSF conference champion.

Primarily a backstroker, Laughlin swims year-round with Buenaventura Swim Club and owns a pair of Summer National standards with three additional Winter Juniors cuts. She achieved six best times at Juniors West in December where she finished fourth in both the 100 back and 200 back. Last summer, she finaled in the 50m back at Phillips 66 Nationals before going on to place sixth in the 100m back and 12th in the 200m back at Junior Nationals.

A rising senior at Ventura High School, Laughlin has earned both NISCA and USA Swimming Scholastic All-American honors. As a junior, she won the 100 back and was the 200 IM runner-up at the CIF-Southern DIII Championships and earned gold in the former at the DI meet during her sophomore season. She also won the 100 back at the CIF State Championships as a rookie.

She told Swimming World:

“I am incredibly excited to announce my verbal commitment to UC Berkeley to further pursue my athletic and academic career. Thank you to my family, friends, and coaches who have helped me along the way. Can’t wait to be a golden bear! #Gobears”

Her best times include:

50 back – 24.59
100 back – 52.58
200 back – 1:56.38
100 fly – 54.97
200 IM – 2:00.23

When she suits up for the Bears as a member of the class of 2024, Laughlin will make an immediate impact and will join a long legacy of backstroke talent. Even with over a year to go before arriving in Berkeley, she would’ve scored in the A-final of the 100 back as well as the B-final of the 200 back at the 2019 Pac-12 Championships.

If you have a commitment to share, please send a photo and quote via email to hs@swimmingworld.com.

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