Olympic Trials Qualifier Mark Andrew Commits to University of Pennsylvania

Mark Andrew, a senior at Middletown High School in Middletown, Ohio, has committed to swim for the Penn Quakers beginning in 2015-16. Andrew is the reigning YMCA National Short Course champion in the 400y IM, and was a top-eight finalist in the 100/1000 free and 200 back, swimming for Greater Miami Valley YMCA.

Andrew will be enrolled in the College of Engineering at Penn, and told SwimSwam, “I chose Penn for the combination of top level academics and swimming.”

Andrew is the YMCA Long Course Nationals record-holder in the 400m IM (4.27.25) Ohio high school record-holder in the 200y IM (1.46.63). His best times include:

*Olympic Trials cut

Although Andrew fits nicely into the distance freestyle profile for which Penn is becoming known, even more valuable will be his prowess in IM events. His 3:47 in the 400 would have placed him squarely in the top-eight at 2015 Ivy League Championships in an event that saw only two Quakers score. Likewise his 200 IM would have been right at the A/B final bubble. His 200 back is closer to the B/C bubble, but this is another event in which the Quakers had a paltry showing in finals. Andrew could add much-needed points in some of Penn’s less dominant events. Conversely, he could add to Penn’s already strong lineup in distance free and try to crowd competitors out of the top eight in the 500/1000 freestyles.

The University of Pennsylvania class of 2019 is turning out to be one of the stronger recruiting classes in the Ivy League. In addition to Andrew, it also includes:

• Austin Ryan
• Colin McHugh
• Stephen Marcin
• Thomas Dillinger