Simone Manuel has verbally committed to Stanford, which should seal up the Cardinal’s status as the top recruiting class of 2014, sources close to the program tell us tonight.
Manuel, who is very far on the young end of this year’s senior class, is a 15-16 National Age Group Record holder and a member of the American World Championship Team in both the 400 free relay, where she won a gold medal as a prelims swimmer, and the 50 free individually, where she was the only American to make the final, ultimately finishing 7th in 24.80.
Manuel is the clear number one recruit in the class of 2014. She doesn’t swim high school, but even so, her yards swims from the 2013 NCSA Junior National Championships are unfathomably-fast. She’s been 22.04 in the 50, 47.73 in the 100, and 1:44.22 in the 200 yard free. If Stanford needed it (which, really, they don’t), she’s been 54.50 in the 100 back and 1:58.95 in the 200 back, plus 54.4 in the 100 yard fly and 1:59.10 in the 200 yard IM.
Stanford’s 2014 women’s class is reminiscent of the types of classes that their rivals at Cal have put together the last two years, where a single grade-level alone has enough talent to be a top 10 team. The full class includes now #1 Simone Manuel, #2 Janet Hu, #4 Lindsey Engel, #8 Ally Howe, plus studs Alexandra Meyers, and one of the class’ top breaststrokers Heidi Poppe.
We’ll take a chance on Wednesday to step back and look at what the times in this class look like all lined out, but in short: wow.
Manuel swims for the First Colony Swim Team in suburban Houston.
In a sport where many of the rosters are filled with foreigners (I won’t mention the schools, but you know who you are and that includes my alma), it’s refreshing to see all his recruits are from the USA. Just saying.
It’s tough to get foreigners into Stanford that do not come from English-speaking countries because the SAT scores are sometimes too low for admission standards.
I think Greg put out all the stops and drained any funds he had going into this recruiting year class scoring all the big names. Because once his senior class currently graduates? (lee, dirado, taylor) he has NO ONE! Scraping for survival. His freshman class next year will be trying to carry the team against the stacked experienced and vets at Cal and UGA– you guys think they can actually beat these two teams? I think its a great class for Stanford, but the reigns of responsibility and pressure theyre stepping into are some pretty big shoes…
I think you make good points but most of recruits have experience in major meets. What most people have already acknowledged is that it will not be until 2 seasons from this one that Stanford has a real chance to win (especially if the recruiting momentum stays in their favor). I don’t see the “pressure” worry for these girls but with that being said UGA and CAL (CAL most likely) will likely win in the next two years. Go Cardinals!
CARDINAL (SINGULAR)
yes, I know–and we all now know that you do. As an SU alum and a legit Cardinals (baseball) fan I think can I get some slack here
Was Cardinals (the birds not the Catholic guys in the funny hats) for 1 to 2 years in the early-’70s when they ditched the Indians name. Students and the band wanted Robber Barons or Steaming Manhole Covers, but the administration went with Cardinal (the color) roughly 40 years ago.
Stanford was perhaps “scraping for survival” just 13 months ago before they hired Greg Meehan, but far from it now. On the contrary, Meehan and Stanford are so far making great progress on a well thought out plan to contend for a national championship within a student generation.
From my point of view, Meehan has shown he clearly understands how to make the most of the considerable assets he has at Stanford, and it appears he is setting a foundation for sustainable competitive success.
Finally, I disagree with Bobo that it’s “game over.” I’d characterize it more as “game on” – but this recruiting class was yet another significant step in the right direction. The secret is out now –… Read more »
Well we know he can recruit.
Well, his results from this past summer suggest he can coach as well.
I thought this article was about Simone…. Congrats Simone, my hat’s off to you young lady!!
Remember just 6 months ago when everyone was saying how CAL women were going to dominate for the next 4 years or so. How quickly everyone changes their minds. We live in a “in the moment” world.
ArtVanDeLeigh10 – I’d still pick Cal to win at least the next two championships. Even with this Stanford class, Cal already has someone that can match up 1-to-1 everywhere.
Agree with you, Mr Keith, at least for next year. Cal is my favorite.
Too close to call, as you said in USA, for 2015. Cal or Stanford.
But then, Stanford should dominate.
But I’m sure Georgia will fight tooth and nail to defy all these predictions.
Great battles to come in the next years.
Swimming fans should be happy with that.
ARTVANDELEGH10, that’s so not true!
I think it was the mainstream press who jumped on the CAL bandwagon based solely on the LCM credentials of a certain freshman star (well maybe the two sophomore Olympians as well).
Informed swimming publications who can see beyond all the razzle dazzle & hype, will know at heart that it will always be the depth in relays & free, plus the ability to qualify as many point scorers into finals, that really counts when it comes to winning an NCAA title, not the unproven SCY resume of an individual, even one who potentially could win all her specialty events.
Lady Dawgs proved this point by amassing points handily across the board in 2013, and… Read more »
GOMYDAWGS – Don’t miss Cal’s 4th Olympian, Marina Garcia, or their 5th Olympian, Farida Osman…
Both Marina Garcia and Farida Osman also happen to be World Championships finalists.
Not sure what cracks me up more: the concept of a mainstream press in swimming or that evil geniuses McKeever and Missy were able to orchestrate them into a secret conspiracy to promote Cal swimming unfairly and undeservedly. It’s utterly predictable that every article about Florida swimming, Michael Andrew, Zona’s coaches, and Cal swimming will bring out all kinds of loopy tangential rants. There will be at least two comments sections following upcoming previews where your Pavlovian fatwa against Georgia’s “arch rival” (?!?) will be more appropriate.
Please explain to me how Missy is unproven in yards, when last year when she was not fully tapered went 22.01/47.28/1:41.81/4:34.62 in the 50-500 and 50.97/1:48.42 in the backstrokes and 1:55.49 in the 200 IM.
Georgia is going to have a lot of work to do this year to overcome the loss of Schmitt and Romano, which will especially hurt them on their free relays, while Cal’s free relays will only improve from last year.
If Missy weren’t so darn good in long course, she would’ve been a unanimous #1 recruit in the class.
Get it??
It seems as though she gets knocked down a lot because she’s SO good in long course, and just “mortally good, but still better than about everyone else” in yards.
“I think it was the mainstream press…”
LOL
I thought Dallas swimmers go to California but Houston swimmers go to Texas. Very disappointed but good luck to her.
Great choice for Miss Manuel.
I had predicted Stanford, Texas or Auburn.
She will have very talented training partners around her.
Cool to see the best 2 young American sprint prospects, Simone Manuel and Lia Neal, train together.
It’s huge for Stanford too. They already had a big big recruiting class. Now, I can say it’s game over for the other teams. Imagine the relays they will have!
It would be shocking to not see them win 2 or 3 titles in the next 5 years.
Wow looks like a hell of a dogfight brewing between the Dawgs & Cardinals for top dawg the next few years!
Stanford does have an amazing recruiting class with the addition of Manuel, and will make it close & exciting.
Bears will have to accept being the bridesmaid to the bridesmaid in spite of all the hype surrounding their freshman class this year…
Can’t wait!
USA sprinting will be taken to a new level on women’s side as a result of this decision. With Simone, Hu, Neal, Schaffer, Engel all training together… Sky’s the limit!