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Backstroke specialist Tanner Edwards has announced his decision to swim for Brigham Young University beginning in the fall of 2021. His brother Emerson will swim for BYU after a taking hiatus to serve his church mission.
Edwards swims year-round for Palmetto Aquatics, under the direction of his father, University of Georgia All-American Heath Edwards. He is a senior at AC Flora High School, where he swims for Coach Kim Gould.
I committed to BYU because the environment around the campus, the top notch education, and I fully believe in the direction Coach Brooks and Coach Loose are talking the program. I know I can achieve all my goals at BYU. [sic]
Edwards is a 5-time South Carolina 4A High School State Champion. In October of 2019, he won 2 gold medals and one silver medal at the championship meet. He swam the 50 backstroke on AC Flora High School’s 200 medley relay, posting a personal best time of 23.28. Teammates Noah Price, Darden Tate, and Delsin Jaco were also on the relay. The men finished second behind North Augusta High School.
Edwards went on to win both the 100 fly and the 100 back. His 100 fly time of 50.48 was 3.74 seconds faster than his entry time. He won the event by 0.92 seconds. He also took the top spot in the 100 back. He powered to the wall in a time 49.79, touching the wall 5.25 seconds ahead of silver-medalist Lincoln Green of South Aiken High School. Edwards contributed 48 points to the AC Flora men’s score of 96, which earned them second place behind Eastside High School.
His 100 back time was a new South Carolina High School League 4A record. After his junior season, Edwards was named South Carolina Male Swimmer of the Year.
Additionally, Edwards has earned gold medals in the 100 back (2018) and the 200 medley relay (2016, 2017).
Last winter Edwards competed at the East Speedo Winter Juniors, swimming the 100 fly and the 100 back and time trialing the 50 and 100 free. He finished 58th in the 100 fly (50.30) and 35th in the 100 back (47.05). He earned new personal best times in all four of his races. His 100 back time earned him a Winter U.S. Open cut and the 15-16 South Carolina Swimming record.
Top SCY Times:
- 50 free – 21.54
- 100 free – 47.05
- 50 back – 23.28
- 100 back – 49.71
- 100 breast – 1:00.62
- 100 fly – 50.30
Edwards will join the 2020 Mountain Pacific Sports Federation runners-up in the fall of 2021. He will be training in a strong group of backstrokers. His 100 back time would have made him BYU’s 6th fastest swimmer during the 2019-2020 season, with only 0.42 seconds separating him from top performer Jake Walters.
His top times would have placed him in the A-final of the 100 back and the C-final of the 100 fly at the conference championships.
BYU has already received a verbal commitment from Des Moines Futures champion Tanner Nelson for the class of 2025.
If you have a commitment to report, please send an email with a photo (landscape, or horizontal, looks best) and a quote to [email protected].
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Congratulations to the Edwards family! Fantastic people who truly give to the swim community and care about the whole person!