Arizona State Champ Ryley Clark is headed to Fresno State with school-leading times (2024)

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Ryley Clark of Surprise, Arizona, is headed to Fresno State to swim for the Bulldogs this fall. Clark, a winter-juniors qualifier who swam for Phoenix Swim Club, attended Willow Canyon High School. 

I wouldn’t be where I am today without the people I grew alongside with for the last seven years. Shoutout to the early mornings, long days, lessons learned and all of the supporters. Thank you to everyone! I am excited to announce my verbal commitment to Fresno State! GO DOGS!!

At the Arizona Division II State Championships in November, Clark won the 100 back in 56.48 and was the runner up in the 200 IM, swimming a 2:06.72.* Clark scored 37 of Willow Canyon’s 41 points, also contributing a relay split of 23.91 in the 200 free relay. Clark led Willow Canyon to a 17th place finish out of 38 teams.  

In March, Clark swam at the Arizona Senior State Championships, racking up 3 new PBs and 3 top 8 finishes. In the 200 back, she hit a personal best of 1:58.82 to finish 2nd, and in the 200 IM, she swam a 2:04.93 for 4th, which was also a new best. Clark additionally swam the 100 fly, where she swam a 58.19 in prelims before finishing 16th (1:00.79). She established a season best in the 100 free (52.23) for 13th, and swam a 56.96 in the 100 back for 6th. 

More recently, at the 2024 Speedo Sectionals – Mt. Hood (LCM), Clark was a 4x A finalist. She was runner up in the 100 back, swimming a 1:03.97 to dip under the 1:04 for the first time. Her previous PB sat at 1:04.13 from last year’s Futures in San Antonio. Clark also swam the 200 IM in 2:21.08 for 4th, 50 free in 26.94 for 5th, 100 free in 58.36 for 11th, and 200 free in 2:09.13 for 20th, all of which were PBs. Clark additionally swam the 200 back in 2:22.10 for 5th, off her PB of 2:18.64 set at Speedo Sectionals – Phoenix in March. 

Best times:

• 100 back – 56.32
• 200 back – 1:58.82
• 50 free – 23.87
• 100 free – 52.22
• 200 free – 1:52.74
• 200 IM – 2:04.93

Fresno State Competes is a D1 mid-major that competes in the Mountain West Conference (MWC), and at the 2024 MWC Championships, the Bulldogs placed 4th out of 9 teams. With 886.5 points, this year was Fresno’s highest finish in program history since joining the MWC back in 2013. Jeanne Fleck is entering her 17th season as the program’s head coach. 

Clark will make an immediate impact for Fresno this year, as she would have ranked 1st in both the 100 and 200 back on Fresno’s roster this past season. Moreover, at the 2024 MWC Championships, she would have qualified for the ‘C’ final in the 100 and the championship final in the 200 — events that Fresno only had 1 scorer in, as Korrie Tengan took 22nd in the 200 back. Clark also would have qualified for the ‘C’ final in the 200 IM, making her a potential 3x scorer when she arrives at Fresno.

Joining Clark in Fresno’s incoming class are Franzi Djatej (IM), Sienna Cheng-Lucey (free/back), and Makaela Perea (back/free), and Ella Turner (back). Perea, who owns similar bests of 55.20/2:00.82 in the 100/200 back, will be crucial in helping Clark strengthen Fresno’s backstroke group. 

*In Arizona, a Division II school signifies the middle 35% of all high schools in terms of size. 

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