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Tess Howley of Rockaway Park, New York has announced her commitment to continue her academic and athletic careers at the University of Virginia beginning in fall 2023.
“I am thrilled to announce my verbal commitment to pursue my athletic and academic career at the University of Virginia! Much gratitude to my family, friends, and coaches for supporting me throughout my journey. Go Hoos!! 💙⚔️🧡”
Howley is the #2 ranked recruit in the high school class of 2023, only behind Olympian Bella Sims who is verbally committed to Florida. Howley swims for Long Island Aquatic Club out of Garden City, NY. Howley represented the United States in October at the FINA World Cup. There she was a member of the mixed 4×50 medley relay that set a world junior record. Fellow club teammate Cavan Gormsen, who also attends Sacred Heart Academy and is committed to UVA, also represented the US at the FINA World Cup in December 2021.
At the 2020 Wave II Olympic Trials, Howley finished 10th in the 200 butterfly swimming a time of 2:10.25.
Howley holds the National Age Group record in the 13-14 SCY 200 butterfly as she swam a time of 1:55.29 back in 2019. She also is #2 all time in the SCY 200 butterfly for the 15-16 age group as she swam a best time of 1:52.76 in December 2021.
She is currently a junior at Sacred Heart Academy out of Hempstead, NY.
Her best short course times are:
- 100 butterfly: 51.98
- 200 butterfly: 1:52.76
- 100 backstroke: 53.13
- 200 backstroke: 1:54.66
- 50 freestyle: 22.89
- 100 freestyle: 49.55
- 200 freestyle: 1:46.55
Howley is a huge pickup for the NCAA defending champions and favored to win again this year, UVA as her best times would have qualified her for the 2021 NCAA Women’s Championships in the 100 butterfly, 200 butterfly, and 200 backstroke. In addition, her 200 butterfly best time would have made the ‘A’ final and her 100 butterfly would have made the ‘B’ final.
Howley will arrive at a great time as current junior Kate Douglass, who holds the #6 time of 51.30 in the NCAA this season in the 100 butterfly will have just graduated. Howley also will have the ability to overlap for one year with Alex Walsh (#2 200 butterfly in the NCAA this season) and two years with Reilly Tiltmann (#5 200 backstroke in the NCAA this season).
Howley will arrive on campus in fall 2023 along with butterflyer Maggie Schalow (100 butterfly: 53.13; 200 butterfly: 1:58.00) and Gormsen. This class is not as big as some of the Cavaliers’ recent flashy classes, but so far it seems to be specifically focused on events where the team is thin depth-wise.
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Congratulations Tess, we have watched you swim since your first zone meet, so nice to see you progress throughout the years!
What is happening on the CAL women’s side where they can’t land ANY of these top recruits? They are great in the pool but awful at recruiting lately !!! Durden please share your notes.
Heard from a girl that was talking to them that the assistant coach that does recruiting is not very good/scared a lot of people off.
They have a huge freshman class right now and a lot of talent that could take a 5th year. I don’t know exactly what their plan is but that could have something to do with it. Regardless, sad to miss out on some of these recruits.
I think he was saying Durden needs to share his notes on how to recruit with the womens team, they need some help.
in this case, maybe a east coast swimmer wants to stay on the east coast rather than pick up and move across the country
Toddie wit da big pickup
go hoos!! love to see it
You’re right, the #2 swimmer in the class of ’23 making her college decision is not worth noting.
You need to hit the sarcasm emoji. Otherwise, a few commenters won’t understand your meaning.
wow another uva article SMH my head
You’re going to smh you’re head even more when they have a 5 year win streak
Pump the brakes. Stanford has won three of the last four championships and will be in the mix with Tennessee, NCState UVA and Texas.
I’m dying to know what you think the “M” and the “H” mean in “SMH”.
It’s a common two letter combo intended to convey a concept that lies somewhere between irony and sarcasm
These guys are all el no sabe pepeLaugh, they can’t get it
It’s only the 5th article on them in 35 hours. Can’t get enough