Team Eugene Aquatics’ Mia Saenger Sends Verbal Commitment to Columbia

Photo Courtesy: Mia Saenger

NEW COMMIT: Eugene, Ore. native Mia Saenger has announced her verbal commitment* to Columbia University and will arrive in New York City next fall.

She will also join Georgia Young and Ana Eyre as members of the Lions’ class of 2024.

Saenger, who owns the Winter Juniors cut in the 100 back, does her club swimming with Team Eugene Aquatics and recently placed 12th in the 100m back at Mount Hood Futures after earning a pair of best times at Mount Hood Sectionals. Last winter, she raced three events at Juniors West before going on to place 12th in the 100 back at Federal Way Sectionals.

Also competing for South Eugene High School, Saenger is a six-time Oregon 6A State Championship finalist. The USA Swimming Scholastic All-American earned bronze in the 50 free and 100 back as a junior after earning third in the 100 back and ninth in the 200 IM.

She told Swimming World:

“Columbia has the perfect balance of academics and athletics for me, and a phenomenal coaching staff. The team is full of genuine, kind people who are not only talented athletes but also very intellectual. I love
the core curriculum and the limitless resources New York City has to supplement my education. I’m very
thankful for my support team of family, friends, and coaches who helped me achieve this goal.”

Her best times include:

50 free – 23.97
100 free – 52.83
200 free – 1:57.13
50 back – 26.23
100 back – 55.43
200 back – 2:01.80
100 fly – 57.52

Saenger will provide major backstroke depth to the Lions’ lineup when she arrives on campus at the start of the 2020-21 season and will have three years of overlap with current freshman Jing Tan. Even with a year of club swimming still to go, she would’ve scored in the B-final of the 100 back at the 2019 Ivy League Championships.

*IVY LEAGUE DISCLAIMER:* A “verbal commitment” does not guarantee admission. An Ivy League coach cannot guarantee admission but can only commit support in the admissions process.

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