Multi-talented Sophie McNeill Commits to East Carolina University

Sophie McNeill of the Carolina Aquatic Team and Riverside High School has verbally committed to swim for the East Carolina University Pirates in the 2016-2017 school year.

Last season, McNeill competed in the 2015 North Carolina High School Athletic Association’s 4A State Championships. She made consols in two events, taking eleventh in the 200 freestyle (1:52.80) and fourteenth in the 100 backstroke (58.80). She is capable of swimming much more than just those two events, though, as her swimming talent is pretty evenly distributed across the strokes. Check out her fastest times:

• 50 FR: 24.83
• 100 FR: 52.65
• 200 FR: 1:52.62
• 1650 FR: 17:43.56
• 100 BK: 57.74
• 200 BK: 2:05.72
• 100 BR: 1:07.42
• 200 BR: 2:25.20
• 100 FL: 57.74
• 200 IM: 2:07.25

Coach Rick Kobe led the Pirate women to a third place finish at American Athletic Conference Championships last year. Kobe will have lots of choices when selecting McNeill’s signature events; at last year’s AACs, McNeill would have made the consolation finals in the 200 free, the mile, the 100 backstroke, the 200 IM, and the 200 backstroke.

McNeill said that she chose to swim at East Carolina because she has close friends and family who attend school there. She also looks forward to being a part of the team.

“The team was amazing and extremely welcoming when I went on my official visit,” she said. “They helped make the decision really easy! Overall it is a great swim community with the team and the coaches, and I felt right at home.”