Auburn’s first big verbal commitment in the class of 2012 was from Texan backstroker Jillian Vitarius. Now they’ve followed that up with the signing of another top backstroker, Caitlyn Forman, who is ranked #25 overall in the class by collegeswimming.com.
Forman, who trains with the Northern Kentucky Clippers (she actually made her choice almost three weeks ago), is a member of the 2010-2011 Junior National Team and swam at the 2010 Junior Pan Pac Championships, where she took 12th in the 200 back. Williamson is also a great 100 backstroker, where she’s the Kentucky State Record holder.
Forman’s yards best times are 54.15 and 1:54.45 in the 100 and 200 backstroke, and the latter of those times would have put her into the B-Final at the NCAA Championships last year.
While Forman projects to be a very good swimmer for the Tigers, it’s curious that they offered to another backstroker in this class. They’ve got a few other holes that they need to fill with this group – notably freestylers – that they’ll now have to really get to work on.