Cary, North Carolina’s Kelsey Lawton has made a verbal commitment to the Colorado State University Rams for the 2015-16 season.
“I’m really excited to be a Ram next year because the girls were very welcoming and the coaching staff was awesome. My club team puts respect, support, and positivity before everything else, so it was really important to me that my college team did too. Fort Collins is a beautiful area, and I am so excited to get to show my parents around when they drop me off!”
Lawton swims for YMCA of the Triangle Area (“YOTA”), and for Holly Springs High School. She is the school record-holder in the 100 free (52.84) and 100 back (57.87).
At the 2014 National YMCA Short Course Championships in April, Lawton swam 50/100 free and 100/200 back. She swam the same events at YMCA Long Course Nationals and finaled in both the 100m free and 100m back. Lawton’s best times include:
| 200y back: 2:00.72 | 200m back: 2:20.11 |
| 100y back: 57.08 | 100m back: 1:04.56 |
| 50y back: 27.18 | 50m back: 30.93 |
| 100y free: 52.17 | 100m free: 59.11 |
| 50y free: 24.27 | 50m free: 27.40 |
Lawton will have a nice group to train with at CSU. Led by junior Jessica Shepherd, the Rams’ backstrokers had a successful 2014 Mountain West conference championship meet. Lawton’s 100 time would have added to the Rams’ entrants in the C-final, whereas her 200 would have made the B-final. Lawton will also add to Colorado State’s sprint free group, along with fellow commit Ryli Waisanen.
You forgot to include verbal commitment from distance freestyler, Mackenzie Halligan from Bend, OR. Mack will also help the Rams in the 200 Fly and 400 IM. #gorams
Congrats, Kelsey! Great addition to the backstroke and sprint group, can’t wait!!