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A current senior at Minnetonka High School in Minnesota, Addie Diaz has announced that she will be swimming at the University of Chicago beginning in the fall of 2022. Diaz currently trains with the Minnetonka Swim Club. She has twice been recognized as a NISCA All-American in the 400 free relay, receiving the honor in 2019 and 2020.
” I am absolutely thrilled to announce my commitment to swim and study at the University of Chicago! UChicago has been my dream school since I was little so this is truly surreal. Thank you to my parents, coaches, and teachers for their unconditional support throughout this process. I’m so excited to join the Maroon family!♥️♥️ “
Diaz has seen success at the state championship meet numerous times during her high school career. While the state championship was canceled during her junior year, she was an individual finalist in both 2018 and 2019. As a freshman, she took fourth in the 200 free (1:53.28) and 5th in the 500 free (5:03.05). She contested the same events as a sophomore, dropping over a second in the 200 (1:52.12 in prelims), but adding slightly in the 500 (5:02.83). In 2019 she was also a part of her school’s 400 free relay that claimed the state title. As a team, Minnetonka finished as the runner-up during both seasons.
In the 200 free, Diaz hit her lifetime best swim last March, racing in Fargo at the Sectionals meet. There, she dipped below 1:51 for the first time to stop that clock at 1:50.96. That time was good enough to earn her fourth in the event.
Top SCY Times
- 100 free – 52.33
- 200 free – 1:50.96
- 500 free – 4:57.99
- 100 back 57.63
- 200 back – 2:03.96
The University of Chicago is one of Division III’s top programs, with the women finishing 6th at the most recent NCAA Championships in 2019. The team has been off to a strong start this year already, with the women dominating the D3 Shootout that they hosted earlier this year.
Diaz is a huge addition to the team, with a 200 free time that would already make her one of the team’s best swimmers in program history. Entering this season, only one swimmer had ever finished the event under 1:51. While Karen Zhao has already swum a time of 1:50.79 this year, Diaz will still be the school’s third-fastest swimmer in history. Her 100 and 500 freestyles are equally impressive, with her current best times being the 6th and 2nd fastest times that team has ever seen. Both of her backstroke would rank among the team’s top-10 all-time as well.
When Diaz arrives on campus, she will form a stellar duo with Zhao in the mid-distance events. Zhao leads the team in the 100 free (51.03) and ranks third in the 500 free (5:03.75) this season. At the conference level, Zhao will provide her biggest source of competition. At the 2020 UAA Swimming and Diving Conference Championships her best times would have placed her in the top-3 of her primary races.
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