Alex Peterson of Laguna Hills CA has verbally committed to swim for the University of Pennsylvania starting with the 2014-15 season.
A two-time member of the USA Swimming Scholastic All-America Team, Peterson is a senior at Laguna Hills High School in Southern California and member of the Aquazot Swim Club.
Peterson is primarily a distance freestyler. He competed for Laguna Hills High at CIF-SS but was clearly not tapered. (Note: as has been mentioned here before, the California state meets take place in the middle of May when many club swimmers are gearing up for long course season.) Peterson had a breakout summer of 2013, though, culminating in a World Championship Trial cut in the 400 IM which he obtained at Sectionals in Santa Clarita in July. He went on from there to compete at Summer Juniors, and held his taper to achieve five more best times.
Penn will have a choice of events in which to feature the 6’4″ Peterson next year. He’s still improving but so far his best times are:
500/400 free – 4:31/4:10
1000*/800 free – 9:13*/8:32
1650/1500 free – 15:29/16:14
200 back – 1:49/2:07
200 IM – 1:52/2:11
400 IM – 3:56/4:29
In addition, he’s recently been training the 200 fly, an event at which Aquazot swimmers tend to excel.
Peterson will join Penn’s distance star Christopher Swanson who, as a freshman, won the mile at the Ivy League Championship and was the lone Ivy miler at 2013 NCAAs. He told SwimSwam, “Penn is the perfect combination of athletics and academics. I am thrilled to be attending such a great university and swim program.”
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*made USA Swimming’s final Top Ten List for 16-year-old boys for the 2012-13 season.
Peterson didn’t swim CIF his Junior Year. Maybe you are looking at times from his Sophomore year?
Really good get for Penn. I’m a little surprised by the choice. Best of luck.
Well the fact that he got into Wharton as an undergraduate might explain a lot. Looks to me as if this a great outcome for both Peterson and Penn.
Peterson’s a hardcore practice guy so watch out Penn