Distance Freestyler Spence Atkins Gives Verbal Commitment To Tennessee

Photo Courtesy: Spence Atkins/Instagram

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The Tennessee women’s distance program will add a new member to the squad next year, as Spence Atkins has made a verbal commitment to attend the University of Tennessee in fall 2016.

“I am so blessed to be a part of such an amazing team and I can’t wait to see what the next four years have in store for me,” Atkins said in an email. “I’m so thankful for everyone who has helped me along the way; it’s so great to be a Tennessee Vol!”

Atkins is on the cusp of qualifying for the Olympic Trials, with a lifetime best of 8:52.95 in the 800 free. That time got her 13th place at the summer junior nationals, and is three seconds away from getting her to the Olympic Trials. Though the 1500 free isn’t an Olympic event, she’s still got lots of potential there, with a 16:46.79 to her credit from juniors.

She also posted a lifetime best 4:19.03 in the 400 free at juniors, which got her third place in the C final and 17th-fastest of the meet.

Atkins hasn’t posted a short course yards lifetime best since 2013, so we can expect her 500 free best time of 4:46.77 and 1650 free best time of 16:10.99 to drop significantly soon as she looks to help the Volunteers score at the SEC championships.

Atkins has history with Tennessee, as mom Tillie Atkins (nee Patterson) was an All-American swimmer there in the 1980s. Look for Atkins to etch her name in the record books soon alongside her mother.

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