Olympic Trials Qualifier Spencer Aurnou-Rhees Verbally Commits to Texas for 2022

Photo Courtesy: Spencer Aurnou-Rhees

NEW COMMIT: Olympic Trials qualifier Spencer Aurnou-Rhees of Bexley, Ohio has handed his verbal pledge to the University of Texas for the fall of 2022. He will become the second DI swimmer in his family as his older sister, Jordan Aurnou-Rhees, is currently a freshman at Tennessee.

He will join Manning Haskal, Ryan Branon, Alec Filipovic and Holden Smith in Austin at the start of the 2022-23 season.

Regarding his commitment, he said:

“I am so excited to announce my verbal commitment to continue my athletic and academic career at the University of Texas!!! I feel so honored to have this opportunity and I was immediately impressed by both the coaches and athletes at Texas! I want to thank my parents, coaches, and teammates through the years for making this possible, I couldn’t have done it without y’all! Hook ‘em!!!”

Aurnou-Rhees, who now trains year-round with New Albany Aquatic Club, earned five best times at the Oxford 18&U Championships in December where he won the 200 free and 200 IM after earning the Olympic Trials cut in the 200m IM at the Toyota U.S. Open.

In Summer 2019, he won the 200m IM at the Ohio Junior Olympics before going on to take fifth in the 400m IM at Geneva Futures. He also raced both IM events at Junior Nationals.

His best times include:

200 IM – 1:48.62
400 IM – 3:53.50
50 free – 21.29
100 free – 45.29
200 free – 1:38.44
500 free – 4:33.68
1000 free – 9:43.51
1650 free – 16:04.89

Currently a junior at St. Charles Preparatory School, Aurnou-Rhees is a four-time individual Ohio State Championship finalist. He placed fifth in the 200 IM and 13th in the 500 free as a sophomore while taking 14th and 11th, respectively, in those events during his rookie campaign.

Under legendary head coach Eddie Reese, the Longhorns won their 24th Big 12 conference championship title last season. Aurnou-Rhees will add his talents to a training group led by Carson Foster, Jake Foster, Ethan Heasley, David Johnston, and Ethan Harder.

He will also overlap three years with the Longhorns’ impressive Class of 2025 that includes Tim Connery, Kayde Cross, Marko Vujosevi, Nathan Quarterman, Luke Hobson and Anthony Grimm.

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

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