Young Tae Seo, California’s Top High School Senior, Set to Fight On as a Trojan

PHOENIX, Arizona, October 23. YOUNG Tae Seo, believed by many to be the Second Coming of Michael Phelps after posting jaw-dropping times in the 200 fly at 14 years old, verbally committed to attend the University of Southern California next fall.

Seo, who swims for Terry Stoddard at Swim Pasadena and preps at Crescenta Valley High School, will thrive in NCAA competition. He will be able to swim the 200s of the strokes and 400 individual medley, the events in which he has excelled over the years. His lifetime best times in the 200 breast, 200 fly and 400 IM are the fastest among all swimmers in the Class of 2013, making him a hot commodity in events that don't typically get the most attention in recruiting, since they do not help with relays. But with USC head coach Dave Salo, Seo's potential as a top middle-distance stroke swimmer is limitless, and could help the Trojans score valuable points.

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Seo's 1:46.37 in the 200-yard fly and 3:47.74 from the 2010 winter sectionals would have given Seo an invite to last spring's NCAA championships, with the 400 IM good enough to score one point with a 16th-place finish. A possible third event for Seo would be the 200 IM, where he has posted a lifetime best of 1:48.21 from the same meet. Incidentally, all three of these times were done when Seo was just 16 years old. He has struggled in the past two years to maintain his form, but the talent is in place for Seo to do great things on the USC team.

Steven Stumph, the nation's top high school breaststroker and 2012 junior national champion, also made the call to attend Southern Cal, giving Salo California's top two high school seniors this year.

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