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Auburn Continues Building 2025 Freshman Class with Addition of Maston Ballew

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With a year and a half of high school left before he’s set to graduate from Franklin Road Academy in Nashville, Tennessee, Maston Ballew has announced his intent to swim and study at Auburn University beginning in the fall of 2025.

“I’m excited to announce my verbal commitment to continue my academic and athletic career at Auburn University! I would like to thank everyone who has made this possible, including my coaches, family, teammates, and future coaches for helping me achieve this goal. War Eagle!!🦅🦅”
As a sophomore last spring, Ballew finished as a two-event A-finalist at the 2023 TISCA (Tennessee high school) Swimming and Diving State Championships. His top finish at the meet came in the 200 IM, with his then personal best of 1:50.06 being good enough to earn him second. He also added an eighth-place finish in the 100 free with a time of 46.41.

Ballew represented his club team, the Nashville Aquatic Club, in December at the Winter Junior Championships – East. At that meet, he qualified for the B-final of the 400 IM. While he touched in 3:56.16 during finals of the event, he was nearly four seconds faster during prelims, touching at a lifetime best of 3:52.78. He also added new lifetime bests at the meet in the 100 free (46.12) and 200 IM (1:49.19).

Top SCY Times

  • 50 free – 21.07
  • 100 free – 46.12
  • 100 breast – 56.22
  • 200 breast – 2:08.04
  • 100 fly – 50.29
  • 200 fly – 1:52.48
  • 200 IM – 1:49.19
  • 400 IM – 3:52.78

Even with a year and a half left to improve before arriving at Auburn, Ballew already boasts lifetime bests that will bring the Tigers strong depth, particularly in the IM events. Last season, he would have ranked as the team’s sixth-fastest performer in the 400 IM and ninth-fastest swimmer in the 200 IM.

The Auburn program has been on a rapid rise over the last few years. In just the last two seasons, the team has climbed from finishing in sixth at the 2022 Southeastern Conference (SEC) Swimming and Diving Championships to second place at the 2023 SEC Championships.

Ballew will join the program in the fall of 2025, giving him one year of overlap with current sophomore Danny Schmidt. Halfway through his sophomore season, Schmidt currently leads the Tigers in both IM events. Last March, Schmidt competed in both the 200 and 400 IM at the 2023 NCAA Championships.

Ballew will join an Auburn class of 2029 that currently includes Finnley Conklin and the sixteenth-ranked recruit in the class, Luke Bedsole. Conklin swims primarily breaststroke while Bedsole is a versatile sprinter.

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About Braden Keith

Braden Keith

Braden Keith is the Editor-in-Chief and a co-founder/co-owner of SwimSwam.com. He first got his feet wet by building The Swimmers' Circle beginning in January 2010, and now comes to SwimSwam to use that experience and help build a new leader in the sport of swimming. Aside from his life on the InterWet, …

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