{"id":598102,"date":"2024-10-24T11:38:38","date_gmt":"2024-10-24T18:38:38","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.swimmingworldmagazine.com\/news\/?p=598102"},"modified":"2024-10-24T11:38:38","modified_gmt":"2024-10-24T18:38:38","slug":"cal-keeps-cif-state-champion-national-junior-teamer-kelsey-zhang-in-state-for-2026","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.swimmingworldmagazine.com\/news\/cal-keeps-cif-state-champion-national-junior-teamer-kelsey-zhang-in-state-for-2026\/","title":{"rendered":"Cal Keeps CIF State Champion, National Junior Teamer Kelsey Zhang In State For 2026"},"content":{"rendered":"

Cal Keeps CIF State Champion, National Junior Teamer Kelsey Zhang In State For 2026<\/strong><\/p>\n

NEW COMMIT:\u00a0<\/strong>The University of California, Berkeley has successfully kept in-state standout\u00a0Kelsey Zhang\u00a0<\/strong>of Saratoga, about 60 miles from campus, in-state for her college career. She’ll arrive in Fall 2026.<\/p>\n

Zhang currently owns the fastest time in her class in the 200 fly. She would’ve scored in that event at the 2024 NCAA Championships.<\/p>\n

She will join\u00a0Ava de Anda<\/a>\u00a0<\/strong>and Isabel Wolk<\/a>\u00a0<\/strong>as a member of the Golden Bears\u2019 Class of 2030.<\/p>\n

Regarding her commitment, she said:<\/p>\n

\u201cI am so thrilled to announce my verbal commitment to pursue my academic and athletic career at the University of California, Berkeley! I want to thank my friends and family for their endless support throughout this journey, and my coaches at @paloaltostanfordaquatics for helping me get to where I am today. I also want to give a special thank you to Coach Dave for making this a dream come true. I am so honored to be able to start this new chapter of my life with such an amazing team; GO BEARS!!”<\/strong><\/span><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

An Olympic Trials qualifier, Zhang does her club swimming with Palo Alto Stanford Aquatics and is a member of the National Junior Team.<\/p>\n

She placed fifth in the 200m fly at Junior Pan Pacs this past summer after taking 19th in that event at Olympic Trials. She swept the 100m\/200m fly and the 200m\/400m IM at Sacramento Futures, too.<\/p>\n

Last winter, she finished third in the 200 fly and fourth in the 100 fly at Juniors West.<\/p>\n

Her best times include:<\/p>\n