Breonna Barker, who trains with SwimTulsa and attends Broken Arrow High School in Broken Arrow, Oklahoma, has made a verbal commitment to the University of Kansas for 2015-16.
“I’m very excited to have the opportunity to be a part of the University of Kansas. I selected KU because of the team, the coaches, as well as the NEW Business School that is being built right now! I really appreciated how welcomed the team, and the coaches made me feel during my official visit. I could not have selected a better team to continue my collegiate swimming career with! Plus, I look forward to experiencing the Big XII conference and what it has to offer! I’m going to do everything I can to help take my team to a Big XII Championship! GO JAYHAWKS!!!”
Barker is a national-level sprinter who competed in the 50m and 100m free events at 2014 Junior Nationals in Irvine. Her top events include:
| 50y free:23.39 | 50m free: 26.78 |
| 100y free: 50.66 | 100m free: 57.54 |
| 200y free: 1:53.02 | 200m free: 2:07.00 |
| 500y free: 5:05.13 | 400m free: 4:29.46 |
She also has a decent 100 breast and 100 fly, but she tends to stick to the freestyle events.
Barker should fit nicely into the Jayhawks’ sprint group. At 2014 Big 12 Championships, Kansas freshmen took three of the eight spots in the B-final; Barker’s 23.39 would have fit solidly in the middle of that group. Even better, a 50.66 would have snuck into the A-final of the 100 free, a heat in which Texas took up all but three spots. Kansas managed two entrants in the B-final and one in the C, so Barker’s potential scoring ability will be even more helpful here. Barker should also make an impact on the Jayhawks’ relays.
Kansas is having early success in its recruiting efforts; in addition to Barker, the Jayhawks have already secured verbals from Haley Bishop and Libby Walker.