Lizzie Brown from the Iowa City Eels Swim Club, the defending Iowa High School State Champion in the 100 breaststroke, has verbally committed to the Wisconsin Badgers.
She will mark the second time in three recruiting classes where a highly-ranked breaststroke commit has escaped the state, along side current Missouri sophomore Katharine Ross, who preceded Brown as the state champion.
The 100 yard breaststroke is really Brown’s primary event; she’s been 1:03.86 in the 100 yard breaststroke and is a Summer Juniors qualifier in long course with a 1:12.53. She’s also an above-average 200 breaststroke, with a yards best of 2:22.10.
Even with a regime change in the coaching staff since Ashley Wanland made the U.S. National Team as a breaststroker, Wisconsin has still shown the ability to develop swimmers in that specialty. Junior Anna Meinholz has developed into the Badgers’ top breaststroker after graduating from high school with a (suit-aided) best of 1:02.94: around the same territory that Brown will be in.
Brown will have a year of overlap with Meinholz and then likely be handed the reigns to the Badgers’ breaststroke group.