Mesquite, Texas-native Jace Brown, who announced his verbal commitment to Arizona State in January, has switched his allegiance to in-state Texas A&M University for 2019-20. He wrote on social media:
“I would like to announce my recommitment to continue my academic and swimming career at Texas A&M University! Thank you to my family, my coaches, my friends, and my teammates for helping me along this journey and process! Also, thank you to ASU for giving me an opportunity, I wish nothing but the best to all the ASU people! Gig ‘Em!!”
Brown is in the middle of his final season of prep swimming at John Horn High School. Since the start of his senior year he has gone lifetime bests in the SCY 50/100/200/1000/1650 free, 200 back, 100 fly, and 200 IM and the LCM 100 free. At Winter Juniors West he finaled in the 100 free (10th), 200 free (11th), 100 fly (12th), and 200 IM (6th). He also swam at Winter Nationals and was a C-finalist in the 100 free and 100 fly. Brown does his club swimming with Rockwall Aquatic Center of Excellence.
Top SCY times:
- 200 IM – 1:47.36
- 100 fly – 48.00
- 200 fly – 1:49.14
- 100 back – 49.46
- 200 free – 1:37.89
- 100 free – 44.61
Brown will join fellow class of 2023 commit William Coakley in the fall.
I would like to announce my recommitment to continue my academic and swimming career at Texas A&M University! Thank you to my family, my coaches, my friends, and my teammates for helping me along this journey and process! I wish nothing but the best to all the ASU people! Gig ‘Em pic.twitter.com/v5Nr5i5d3s
— Jace Brown (@jacebrown40) December 29, 2018
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].
Will his eyes transfer too?
With the new policy of juniors now taking official visits but the signing periods not changing, I believe you’ll see more and more of this.
Because of course he did….
Where are his eyes in the photos?
birdbox
He didn’t sign with ASU so he can do whatever he wants. I’m sure he had a great reason for changing his mind which he is entitled to do. Remember a verbal commitment is just that, verbal, which really doesn’t mean anything.
So… a verbal commitment is an oxymoron then?
When he first commited to ASU, they offered him good money. 6 months later they, ASU, pulled the offer asking the parents to pony up the money. Jace did the right thing by decommitting…
I’ll be honest. That didn’t & still doesn’t “sit real well” with friends & relatives. That “offer” was pulled real “late” in the recruiting process. Left a real bitter taste in my mouth with regard to that coaching staff!! Future recruits of that staff should take notice of this & be “wary” of what you are offered. But things worked out for “the best” & I know that the A&M coaching staff will help develop Jace into the best swimmer he can be!! I trust that staff with all my being so I have no worries and know Jace is in good hands there in College Station with them! Gig em forever 👍
Well, so much for commitment
Often times a changed commitment stems from a coach backing away from a previously set agreement. It comes from both sides, so we should all avoid looking too far into what the headlines read. Just throwing it out there!
That was uncalled for. Maybe there’s a backstory you aren’t aware of. The pressure we put on these young men and women to commit early is negligent. We’d do better to encourage them and recognize that we as readers of SwimSwam aren’t privy to every, most likely, stressful and painstaking decision these 17/18 year olds make regarding choosing their home away from home for the next 4 years. So, LPMAN….maybe act more like a mature man rather than bash an 18 year olds mature decision.
Thank you for your eloquent and mature response
I wouldn’t be so judgemental. Unless he had a full ride offer to ASU, even a partial offer from a&m would probably be better if for example they offered to cover room & board, because he would only be responsible for instate tuition.
Perhaps your family is incredibly wealthy and you didn’t have ever worry about the total cost of college
Scholarships first pay for books, then tuition, and then room and board if enough
Since I am related to this swimmer, I “know” the full story completely. I am respecting Jace & not putting it out here but I will say that you have it absolutely wrong! It was classy of Jace to thank those at ASU for the opportunity. I will say that a commitment involves “both coach & swimmer” & that Jay Holmes as well as the rest of the A&M’s men’s swimming staff are people of honor & I’ll end it with that!
Thought I would also say that Steve Bultman & the rest of the A&M women’s swimming staff are honorable as well! Didn’t want to leave those fine people out of the mix👍.
A bit of an aside, but I see you chose not to return to “Aggie Swim Fan”.
Just in case there is another swim team denoted as “Aggies”, wanted to ensure that everyone knows that my allegiance is to “The Texas A&M Swim Team”. That’s the reason for the change👍.
Instate tuition is very attractive for a sport with nearly zero full rides. If due to recent financial difficulties, this comment is supremely not nice.
Out of state cost of attendance to Arizona State is about $44,000/year. A&M in-state cost of attendance is $28,000/year. That includes room/board/books/whatever.
Yes indeed. And for parents who have to foot the tab for visits to and from school, (plane vs car ride) as well as chance to see kid swim in person…no small matters
As an aside, Arizona State does offer generous academic scholarship money to nonresidents at several scaled levels based upon high school GPA and ACT/SAT test scores, beginning at relatively low levels.
Oh yeah!! Tremendous decision (one you’ll never regret). Great pickup for “us”!!! Can’t wait to watch you swim with that up & coming team. Gig em forever👍👍