Kyle Coan of the Redlands Swim Team in California has verbally committed to Cal, he announced today.
Coan is one of the top 200 freestylers in the class of 2014, with a yards best of 1:35.69. That time was swum at the 2013 CIF Southern Section Division II Championship meet, where he crushed the Division Record held by Stanford swimmer Andrew Saeta by over a second.
“It feels like a dream. It’s just surreal,” Coan said of his future home.
Coan is that division’s two-time defending champion in the 200 yard free, the defending champion in the 100 yard fly (48.66 at the 2013 meet – his best time) and the 2012 champion in the 100 free (45.1 as a sophomore, has since been 44.77).
Coan is still developing his speed, really. Until about his sophomore year of high school, he was trending more toward a 200-500 freestyler, but has since dropped that 500 in favor of the shorter events. That includes relay splits of 19.58 in the 50 free (as his Los Osos won that title as a junior as well) and a 43.24 in the 100 free (another relay win), both as a junior.
“It’s nice to be done,” Coan said. “Recruiting was fun but it’s also very stressful.”
Coan has also been 50.06/1:47.49 in the 100 and 200 yard backstroke, and 48.66 in the 100 yard fly.
Cal has a history of getting their freestylers up-to-speed in a hurry, so expect Coan to have an impact in a hurry. That time in the 200 free, his best race, is within a second of the rolling-start by Ben Hinshaw that was on Cal’s 4th-place NCAA relay last year.
I am impressed and appreciative of the comments about Kyle. Reading the comments from people that know him and some that don’t are great and supports the theory that USA swimming is one happy and supportive family. Kyle worked hard and will be swimming for one of the top teams in the country. His mom and I, along with his sister and twin brother are very proud of him.
Thanks for the comments!
FYI- he is 5’11”
Michael Haney and Kyle Coan swam for The Claremont Club. Kyle left to train at Redlands with Gornay and co. Haney came over to Redlands last summer while back from school. Kyle Coan is about 5’9 but has an incredible stroke.
Wow! Great for him! Anyone know his height – he does not look super tall. Just curious! 🙂
Well he is standing next to the tower, so we can see that he is about 9.8, maybe 9.9 meters tall. My guess is Dave is looking to make him the next tall breaststroke phenom. Will we see a sub :30 100 breast? We’re gonna need a bigger suit!
Aquamom… You are correct that Trent Williams is from San Diego (Rancho Bernado High) and Haney is from Rialto which is near Redlands.(Bloomington High). As you know, many top swimmers may live in one town but swim for clubs (or even schools) in other cities.
We have a great swimmer here in the San Francisco Bay Area (Vallejo of all places) and he swims for North Baltimore Swim Club! There are a number of top flight swimmers who have similar situations apparently to receive the coaching and competition commensurate with their with their talents.
Thanks for the post!
Isn’t Natalie Coughlin also from Vallejo?
Yes she is. Quick story: I grew up swimming in the Bay Area, a few years behind Natalie. When I was about 10 – she must have been 12 – there was a small long course meet in Vallejo. At the time she was swimming for a team in Vallejo(can’t recall name), before her move to Terrapins. She was swimming an open 800, with instructions from her coach that if she wanted to get out of swimming that event for the rest of the summer, she had to get out after winning and run to her coach at the 50 end of the pool before any other competitor had finished. She did it, and it was fun and memorable enough… Read more »
You are welcome, Longseeker. FWIW, Michael Haney used to swim for The Clairemont Club before he swam for Redlands – maybe Kyle did too? Both are very nice boys, and Kyle will be a great teammate at Cal.
Doesn’t he have a brother who was swimming as well?
He has a twin brother that swam but due to a medical condition had to take an early retirement from competitive sports which is unfortunate as his brother was a phenomenal sprinter as well.
I think he would be a great combo along with Kyle Gornay for Cal to pick up
Trent Williams is from San Diego. I think you mean Michael Haney who is from Redlands and his a sophomore.
PAC12: Didn’t know about Auburn. Great aquatic history. But Trent Williams, who is a Soph now at Cal is from Redlands, too. Trent swam exceedingly well his Frosh season.