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Mason, Ohio’s Jessey Li has announced her verbal commitment to the application process* at Yale University for the 2022-23 school year.
“An absolute DREAM COME TRUE!! I am so proud and honored to announce my commitment to the admissions process at Yale University! Big thank you to my parents, brother, coaches, and friends for their unconditional support and encouragement. Also, thank you to the Mason Manta Rays for setting me up to be the best swimmer I can be and an even better person. I could not be more excited for this next journey. GO BULLDOGS!!💙🐶 #boolaboola”
A junior at Cincinnati Hills Christian Academy, Li is a two-time USA Swimming Scholastic All-American and the recent runner-up in both the 50 free (23.50) and 100 breast (1:01.65) at the 2021 OHSAA Division 2 State Championships in February. In 2020, she finished second in the 50 free (23.41) and third in the 100 free (50.97).
Li swims year-round with Mason Manta Rays. She cracked 1:01 in the 100 breast for the first time at the 2020 RAYS Start of Winter Slam, dropping 1.5 seconds off a brand-new PB of 1:02.27 from November’s 2020 RAYS Mason Fall Invitational and winning the event with 1:00.85. At the same meet she improved her 200 breast PB by 5 seconds, going 2:15.33 to come in 3rd. She also won the 100 free (51.02) and 200 free (1:51.23) and was runner-up in both the 200 IM (2:05.21) and 400 IM (4:31.37). Her 200 free and 400 IM times were lifetime bests.
In March, she improved her 100 breast time again, dropping to 1:00.74, and went a best time in the 50 breast (28.39) at the Ohio LSC Virtual Championships. Also in March, she swam at Elkhart Sectionals and earned PBs in the LCM 200 free (2:08.89), 100 breast (1:11.51), and 200 IM (2:23.42).
Top SCY times:
- 50 breast – 28.39
- 100 breast – 1:00.74
- 200 breast – 2:15.33
- 50 free – 23.25
- 100 free – 50.92
- 200 free – 1:51.23
- 200 IM – 2:04.02
While the Ivy League did not hold a 2021 conference championship, Li’s best 100 breast time would have scored in the A final in 2020, along with then Yale freshman Jessica Whang (1:01.70 for 4th), sophomore Marykate Buckley (1:02.21 for 5th), and senior Cha O’Leary (1:02.31 for 6th). Her best 200 breast time also would have made the top-8 along with O’Leary (2:13.45 for 3rd).
Li will join Caroline McCurdy, Eason Jones, and Sydney Kang in the Yale class of 2026.
*Note: A verbal commitment between an Ivy League coach and a prospective student-athlete is not an offer of admission, as only the Admission Office has that authority. The coach can only commit his or her support in the admission process. Ivy League Admission Offices do not issue “Likely Letters” before October 1 of the prospective student-athlete’s senior year of high school. The Likely Letter, while issued after an initial read of the student’s application, is not an offer of admission to the university.
If you have a commitment to report, please send an email with a photo (landscape, or horizontal, looks best) and a quote to [email protected].
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Congrats to the goat
congratulations Jessey. it was my dream come true 45 years ago. at that time your breaststroke times would have fit in nicely on the men’s team.
GO BULLDOGS.
Trip Strauss 80