Hailey Garlich from Lake Central High School in northwest Indiana has signed with Division II power Grand Valley State University.
Garlich is primarily a middle-distance freestyler and IM’er, and if she continues the big improvements that she had as a junior, she should have an immediate impact at the GLIAC Conference Championship meet as a freshman.
In the 2013-2014 season, she dropped around 6 seconds in the 400 IM and around 9 seconds in the 500 free while representing the Lake Central Barracudas club team. She made significant improvements in some of the shorter events (three seconds in the 200 free), but none were as stunning as those former two races.
In yards, her best times are:
- 200 free – 1:57.24
- 500 free – 5:12.39
- 100 back – 59.31
- 200 back – 2:07.16
- 200 IM – 2:09.59
- 400 IM – 4:34.93
Last season, it took only a morning swim of 4:35.8 to make it into the A-final at the GLIAC Championships. Garlich has the closing kick to get there. With some improvements on her breaststroke leg (and individually, she’s a solid breaststroker), she’ll have the chance to sniff an NCAA qualification as a freshman.