Meaghan Raab, who we ranked as the #7 recruit in the class of 2014, has verbally committed to the Georgia Bulldogs. That makes her the second top 10 recruit (along with #3 Kylie Stewart) and 3rd top-20 recruit (adding Megan Kingsley) for the Georgia women this fall.
Raab was the Winter Junior National Champion in the 200 yard free in December of 2012; and the Hershey, Pennsylvania high schooler (by way of Knoxville, Tennessee) is both a very good freestyler, with a touch of versatility to boot.
In the 50-200 yard freestyles, her best times are 23.15, 49.01, and 1:45.10. She’s also been 55.1 in the 100 yard back, 53.7 in the 100 yard fly, 2:00.7 in the 200 yard fly, and 1:57.86 in the 200 yard IM.
Thinking back to the really great Georgia women of the last few years, this is sort of exactly how they’re built: great 200 freestylers, outstanding 100 freestylers, solid 50 freestylers, and good enough in everything else to make them worthy consideration for college swimming, at least. Allison Schmitt (butterflies as alternates), Megan Romano (backstrokes as alternates), Morgan Scroggy (200 IM as alternate), and Shannon Vreeland (200 back/200 IM) are the biggest examples. This is exactly the type of swimmer that Georgia has built their defending NCAA Championship program on.
Heck, she just kind of looks like the Georgia girls physically.
It’s hard to ever project how high school stars will turn into college swimmers, especially on the women’s side, but Raab’s fit at Georgia seems to be so perfect, that it should have been predictable.
Another to recruit for the DAWGS! This year will be very tough trying to repeat in the SEC and NCAA’s for the women. The DAWG men also are having a good recruiting year to go along with the solid team of freshman last year. Stanford is having a killer recruiting year for men and women.
Correction on “by way of” for Meghan. As a 9 yr old a Y in Mid Atlantic, as a 10 yr old N C at MAC, as a 11 yr old Piolit Knoxville and then as a 12 yr old at Hershey and ever since. I believe it was with her Dads Educational and Proffessional moves.
Your committment made my day, We are very glad to have you join the Dawg family and help us win more Championships. I know that our team and coaches are really excited about your decision. Woof Woof Woof
Simone Manuel to Stanford! Stellar class for Stanford!
Stanford relays for the next 4 years are going to be AMAZING
Vreeland was top 8 this summer in the 2 IM at WCT and swam the 4 IM at SECs freshman year for UGA. And she was initially a 2 backstroke junior teamer! Raab is going to be a fantastic training partner for her if she stays through 2016 and the rest of the freestyle bulldogs!!
Dawgfan – I guess you’re right. I was more thinking about where she’s swum at the college level, but she too can swim other strokes. I guess that only further proves the comparison, ehh?
Nice! UGA lands 3 of the top 10 in the class! #1 Stewart, #8 Raab an #9 Kingsley! Stanford has three of the top 10 in #2 Hu, #3 Howe and #10 Engel. Only top 10 not committed so far is #6 Manuel, which would be a good fit for the SEC Bulldogs! Wish Gator nation was doing a better job on the recruiting trail, but Stanford, Cal and now UGA will be fun to watch for all swimming fans!
Simone Manuel to Stanfart per swimmingworldmag
Obvious choice for miss Raab! She is the definition of a bulldawg. Her 200IM/200fr/100fr looks exactly like Morgan scroggy.
Can’t wait to see how she can develop in long course as well, could be a huge relay factor in Rio.
miss raab is a very nice girl. i once coached a swimmer who was very sucessful at a young age much like meaghan and found that while the other girls in the ready room shunned her, meaghan went out of her way to help this swimmer out. seems like a class act going to a high class program