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Matthew Leblanc, a two-time USA Swimming Scholastic All-American from Chaparral High School in Scottsdale, Arizona, has verbally committed to the application process* at the University of Pennsylvania.
“I am thrilled to announce my verbal commitment to swim at the University of Pennsylvania! I’m so thankful for this opportunity and would like to thank my family, friends, coaches, and teachers for all their support. Go Quakers!!!”
Leblanc won the 200 IM (1:51.54) and 100 breast (56.87) as a junior at the 2018 Arizona AIA Division 2 State Championship last fall. He also contributed to Chaparral’s winning 200 medley relay (25.73 breaststroke split) and 3rd-place 200 free relay (20.85 anchor). At the AIA Meet of Champions the next weekend, he won the breast (57.78) and tied for 5th in the 200 IM.
In club swimming, where he represents Scottsdale Aquatic Club, Leblanc is coming off a strong long-course season that saw him improve his lifetime bests in the LCM 50 free (24.51), 100 back (59.31), 100 breast (1:05.16), 200 breast (2:25.01), and 200 IM (2:08.76) at Mt. Hood Sectionals. He finaled in all five events, placing 24th, 12th, 8th, 15th, and 11th. At Phoenix Sectionals last March, he again made finals in the 50 free, 100 back, 100/200 breast, and 200 IM and earned PBs in all but the 100 breast.
Leblanc will join a Penn breast/IM group that has had a great deal of success at the conference level. Mark Andrew still holds the Ivy record in the 400 IM and, until last year’s Ivy League Men’s Championships, had been the record-holder in the 200 IM as well. Although Andrew graduated after last season, Leblanc will have a year with Boris Yang, the Quakers’ top-scoring breaststroker. Leblanc’s best times would have scored at the 2019 Ivy Championships in the B final of the 100 breast and the C final of the 200 breast.
Top SCY times:
- 100 breast – 55.89
- 200 breast – 2:02.08
- 200 IM – 1:50.67
- 400 IM – 4:01.17
- 100 back – 50.95
- 200 back – 1:55.10
*IVY LEAGUE DISCLAIMER: A “verbal commitment” by a coach is not an offer of admission, as only the Admissions Office has that authority. An Ivy League coach can only commit his or her support in the admissions process. Moreover, an Ivy League Likely Letter 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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Awesome! Go Quakers!