Barbe High School senior Zachary Stump, the two-time Louisiana Division I State Champion in the 100 breaststroke, has verbally committed to the Notre Dame Fighting Irish this week.
Stump has yards bests of 56.66 and 2:03.09 in the 100 and 200 yard breaststrokes to go with a 1:05.86 in the long course 100 breaststroke in the summer of 2013. That time in the 100 long course breaststroke is the Louisiana LSC record in the event for 15-16’s, representing Spartan Swimming in Lake Charles.
Stump has also split a 26.65 breaststroke leg on Barbe High School’s 200 medley relay the last two years at the State Championship meet.
The time qualified him to swim at Junior Nationals in California 6 weeks ago, though at that meet, he was unable to end his 2014 summer as successfully with a 1:06.12.
With the 7 A-finalists who finished behind him at the Louisiana High School State Championship meet all graduating, Stump will be a significant favor to win a third-straight title in the 100 breaststroke. He will also be battling with Griffin Guzan and Keaton Teas for the title in the 200 IM, where Stump was 5th last season.
Stump is the second sprint breaststroker to have committed to Notre Dame. Ben Gorski, who has been 56.17 in yards, also will head to South Bend next fall.
Proud of you Zach!! Big things are coming bro, great fit at ND. Can’t wait to rac at state! – JW
Uh oh! Now that Emma Reany has been so successful, Notre Dame’s waters are going to be teeming with breaststrokers! 😉
Danjohnrob – ha, maybe. But remember men’s and women’s programs are separate, and for that matter both have new head coaches this year (though the new women’s head coach happens to be the old men’s head coach).
This feels like a Spanish soap opera.
“As the Swimming World Flip-turns”. LOL! I didn’t know about the coaching changes, but it sounds like Zachary and Ben are getting one with a proven track-record working with breaststrokers.
Oops! Sorry, I read your comment again and realized I got that backward!
Good news is that the Notre Dame men have done pretty well in the breaststrokes too, though of course not many can claim the kind of success that Reaney has had. New Notre Dame men’s head coach is the old assistant, so there’s some carryover there too.