Giovanna Cappabianca, Maggie Clough Verbally Commit to Akron for 2020-21 Season

Photo Courtesy: Akron University Athletics

NEW COMMITS: A pair of Ohio natives have verbally committed to the University of Akron as members of the class of 2024: Giovanna Cappabianca of Hudson and Margaret “Maggie” Clough of Lebanon will suit up for the Zips in the fall of 2020.

Both Cappabianca and Clough will add valuable depth in their respective events when they arrive on campus. Akron won their sixth-consecutive MAC Championship team title this past season and sent seven swimmers to NCAAs.

Giovanna Cappabianca

Photo Courtesy: Vincent Cappabianca

Primarily a breaststroker and IMer, Cappabianca does her club swimming with Hudson Explorer Aquatic and owns two Winter Juniors standards and the U.S. Open cut in the 200m breast and 200m IM. She most recently competed at NCSAs where her highest finish was a 27th-place showing in the 200 breast after racing five events at Juniors East in December. This past summer, she recorded a best time and finaled in the 200m IM at Junior Nationals.

Also competing for Hudson High School, Cappabianca is a four-time Ohio State Championship finalist. She placed fourth in the 200 IM as a junior after taking sixth in that event as well as 14th in the 100 fly during her sophomore season. She has also earned both NISCA and USA Swimming Scholastic All-American honors for her efforts.

She told Swimming World:

“I am so proud and excited to announce my verbal commitment to continue my academic and swimming career at the University of Akron. I would like to thank God, my parents and family, teammates and friends for all of their love and support! Thank you to my past and present coaches, each of you have done so much to get me to this point in my career. I feel truly blessed to have learned from all of you. To my future coaches, Brian and Hannah, thank you for the great opportunity you have given me. I’d also like to give a shout out to my future teammates for finishing their season ranked 20th nationally! So excited to help the lady zips continue their rise! Go Zips!”

Her best times include:

100 breast – 1:03.92
200 breast – 2:16.02
200 IM – 2:02.59
400 IM – 4:22.18

Maggie Clough

Photo Courtesy: Maggie Clough

A talented backstroker, Clough swims year-round with Countryside YMCA and owns the U.S. Open cut in the 200 back with four additional Winter Junior standards. She achieved 100% best times and was the 200 back runner-up at YMCA Nationals in April after placing 11th in that event at Juniors East in December. At YMCA Nationals this past summer, Clough placed fourth in the 100m back and ninth in the 200m back.

While representing Springboro High School, Clough is a five-time Ohio State Championship finalist. She placed fourth in both the 100 back and 100 fly as a junior after grabbing seventh in the former and 14th in the 200 IM during her sophomore campaign.

She told Swimming World:

“I chose Akron because of the amazing team and the fantastic coaching staff. I fell in love with the campus, and I felt truly at home when around the girls!”

Her best times include:

50 back – 26.23
100 back – 55.01
200 back – 1:56.46
200 fly – 2:02.58
200 IM – 2:02.25

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

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