High school senior Matt Fallon, ranked 8th in the nation for his recruiting class, went seven-tenths of a second under his lifetime-best in the 200-yard breaststroke.
The swim came at the “Don’t Be a Turkey” meet at the Somerset Hills YMCA in New Jersey. Times haven’t yet appeared in USA Swimming’s database, but the meet results are available on the Meet Mobile app.
Competing for the Greater Somerset Valley YMCA, the 18-year-old Fallon went 1:53.44 in a 200-yard breaststroke. That’s his first swim ever under 1:54. Fallon’s lifetime-best was 1:54.18 prior to this fall. It’s unclear if the meet’s results will count as officially sanctioned times or not, but Fallon’s swim would move him up to #8 in 17-18 age group history in the 200 breast.
It was one of a number of big swims for the versatile Fallon. He went 3:48.28 in the 400 IM, about four seconds off his best, which led all swimmers in his recruiting class when we ranked out the class last spring. Fallon was also 54.76 in the 100 breast, and went eight tenths of a second under his lifetime-best with a 46.50 in the 100 free.
Fallon is verbally committed to swim for Penn next year, the only top-20 recruit to commit outside of the Power-5 conferences.
#6-ranked recruit Jack Alexy also competed at the “Don’t Be a Turkey” meet. The 17-year-old was 20.24 in the 50 free, 44.97 in the 100 free and 1:39.22 in the 200 free. That 50 free was two tenths off his lifetime-best.
I remember when I was recruited to a power 5 school and the coach told me not to major in engineering because the labs would conflict with practice times…that told me all I needed to know…and I turned down the scholarship to go get the education I wanted at a smaller school. There are many good reasons for kids to go to the power conferences…and many good schools in those conferences, but there are just as many good reasons to go to other schools.
Those types of schools are the worst…
Goes both ways some times…head of Bio dept at school I was looking at told me no athletes were in pre-med program
What a waste of his talent going to Penn
NCAA champ Chris Swanson would disagree.
“who?” – Rowdy
And so do many other IVY NCAA and US Champs: Hackett, Corbisero, Berkoff, Meili, Tuescher, Princeton Men’s 200 Medley Relay (2 in a row), and God DEAN.
there hundreds or thousands wasted talents thru the years in P5…… Good education, chance to train close to home.
There is no wasted talent if he is going to a great school and swimming under a good coach. I think he will do great things at Penn. Go Matt!
What a waste of an internet comment
what a waste of brain cells reading your comment
don’t be a turd
UPenn has produced some good breaststrokers over the years. Brendan McHugh was american record holder for brief period of time in 50 breast
Yeah but for a kid from New Jersey, name a better swimming & diving program anywhere near home? Connecticut, New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Delaware…Princeton and Penn are #1 and #2 right?
Pitt has had some good…divers.. lately. Penn State is a dumpsterfire of a program right now with a terrible pool. Even as Power 5s I don’t think they’re better than Princeton or Penn.
Per dual meet results last year, Penn and Princeton are pretty similar in quality on the men’s side. And, in spite of what you may read in other threads lately, some people would rather live in a city than a suburb (Penn is right in the heart of Philadelphia, Princeton is a suburb/college town).
It’s… Read more »
Connecticut!? I can think of a school in New Haven that has a pretty good reputation……
Penn has put together some very good teams over the years, and yes you can be successful there, but comparing them to Princeton? They were 7th last year at Ivy Championships behind Harvard, Princeton, Yale, Brown, Columbia and Cornell, so to say Princeton and Penn are the clear #1 and #2 in the northeast is a pretty big overstatement.
The Fallon family will prove you are WRONG in 5th time. His parents swam there, his brother blossoms there. BTW, this is a small/intra squad/mixed gender meet, our swimmers are inspired by this kind of extraordinary performance, which is a new NJ LSC open record, so no need “fast pool” or big time meet, fast times are still achievable when you put in extra efforts.
Are you insane?
His swimming career will likely be over in approximately 63 months. Not many better shingles to hang on the wall then one from Penn.
Don’t worry, if Matt ever wins an NCAA title, then this one comment by one person will turn into “everyone said…” and will never be forgotten.
Dean also trained at Texas…
Yeah Matt!! Go Quakers!