Summer Juniors Qualifier Lila Lillie Sends Verbal To Arizona (2024)

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Lila Lillie has announced her verbal commitment to swim and study at the University of Arizona, beginning with the 2024-2025 season. Lillie is a native of Peachtree City, Georgia, where she attends McIntosh High School. She also trains and competes year-round with SwimAtlanta, a 2022-2023 Gold Medal club under USA Swimming’s Club Excellence program.

Lillie is a fly and back specialist, and owns a 2023 Summer Junior Nationals qualifying time in the 100m backstroke (1:04.11). She hit her Summer Juniors cut this month at the Speedo Atlanta Classic, where she finished 10th overall with her performance. She also swam the 200m back, where she set a best time of 2:22.89 for a 16th.

Prior to the Atlanta Classic, Lillie competed at the Georgia High School State Championship meet. She earned two podium finishes, taking 2nd in the 100 back (55.45) and 3rd in the 100 fly (56.02). Her 100 fly was a personal best by a few tenths, while her 100 back was just a few tenths shy.

Lillie’s best time in the 100 back was done at Winter Juniors – East in December. She clocked a 55.12, which is about a tenth quicker than she in late 2021. She set another best time in the 200 back, clocking a 2:01.03 for a two second time drop.

Top SCY Times:

• 50 back – 25.17
• 100 back – 55.12
• 200 back- 2:01.03
• 100 fly – 56.21

The Arizona women are coming off of a 6th place finish at the 2023 Pac-12 Championships. They were led by junior Julia Heimstead, who finished 3rd in the 100 fly (52.03), and diver Delaney Schnell, who won both springboard diving events.

Heimstead put up the fastest performance in the 100 backstroke this year as a relay lead-off (53.43), but did not compete in it at conference. Freshman Paige Armstrong was the top finisher at Pac-12s with an 18th place finish (53.95), while senior Axana Merckx had the next fastest time of the year at 55.02. Lillie is just outside of scoring range with her current best time, as it took a 55.02 to advance to finals at this year’s conference meet. 

Joining Lillie in Arizona’s class of 2028 so far is North Carolina native Kayman Neal. Neal swims similar events to Lillie, and owns best times of 54.24/1:56.04 in the 100/200 backstroke.

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