To read about all of the verbal commitments this fall, click on our college recruiting category page here.
Just on the heels of distance swimmer Leah Smith making her announcement, Delaware Swim Team member Kaitlyn Jones has also decided that she will be swimming for the Virginia Cavaliers for the next four seasons.
Jones is just the type of swimmer that Virginia head coach Mark Bernadino seems to succeed with: tough middle-distance swimmers who step up to the toughest events and just seem to race as though they don’t ware down.
Jones is definitely an all-arounder, with at least Winter Nationals cuts in the 200 yard race of each of the five disciplines. Her primary races are the IM’s, where she’s been 1:59.0/4:11.6 for best times. In a very top-heavy ACC, she’ll have no problem scoring double-digit points as a freshman.
Within those IM’s, her best stroke is probably backstroke; as isolated events, she’s been a 54.27 and a 1:55.05 in the 100 and 200 of that stroke. This fits right in with Virginia’s backstroke group, which is where they’ve been the hottest the past two years. Junior Charlotte Clarke and sophomore Ellen Williamson will make great training partners, with both having developed extremely well in their first two seasons of college swimming.
An area where it seems like Bernadino could push her to bring added value would be in the 200 free. She’s got a best of 1:48.97 there, but based on the peripheral times from other events, would seem like she’s got some significant drops to go there and could end up on the Virginia 800 free relay at some point in her career.
Jones’ announcement comes amid a scary and exciting time in Delaware, as their Senior National Team coach Bruce Gemmell was just announced as Katie Ledecky’s new coach at NCAP.
Swimswam you were behind on the news. Based on social media (fb, twitter), Jones committed followed by Smith. Either way Smith and Jones will be amazing duo for UVA.
Yup, Kaitlyn committed first. But I’m happy for them!