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Shelby Gourley of Bluffton, South Carolina has announced her decision to continue her education and swimming career Illinois State University this upcoming fall. Gourley is wrapping up her senior year at May River High School, where she is set to graduate this spring.
She shared her thoughts on choosing Illinois State with SwimSwam: “The school and the team felt like a great fit!”
Gourley trains year round with Hilton Head Aquatics on Hilton Head Island, South Carolina. Her primary event focus is breaststroke, but she also swims IM events. She recently raced at the 2023 NCSA Spring Championships, where she recorded her highest finish at 115th in the 200 breaststroke (2:27.92).
Prior to NCSAs, Gourley competed at the South Carolina LSC State Championship. She knocked over two seconds off her best time in prelims of the 200 breaststroke (2:23.16), finishing 10th in finals. She also had a fantastic race in the 400 IM, swimming a best time by nearly seven seconds to post a 4:40.77 for 13th overall.
Gourley also snagged two top-eight finishes at the South Carolina High School State Championships in October. She took 3rd in the 100 breaststroke (1:07.53), and 6th in the 200 IM (2:12.41). She was also the breaststroke leg of her school’s 200 medley team (30.15), and anchored her team’s 200 freestyle relay (24.83).
Top SCY Times:
- 50 breast – 30.55
- 100 breast – 1:05.75
- 200 breast – 2:23.16
- 200 IM – 2:11.27
- 400 IM – 4:40.77
Illinois State University, located in Normal, Illinois, is a NCAA Division I mid-major program that competes in the Missouri Valley Conference (MVC). The Redbirds finished 3rd out of 10 teams at the 2023 MVC Championships, collecting five MVC titles throughout the meet.
Leading the breaststrokers this season was senior Madyson Morse, who won both the 100 (1:00.34) and 200 breaststroke (2:11.58) at MVCs. Sophomore Sydney Hoff was the next best performer, coming in at 1:03.61 to finish 12th in the 100 and 2:16.44 to take 9th in the 200. Gourley’s best times right now would have landed her in the C-final in both breaststroke events this year, meaning she is in good position to be an immediate contributor when she arrives on campus.
With her commitment, Gourley joins Lauren Campbell, Sylvia Admire, and Michelle Fernandez in Illinois State’s incoming class of 2027. Fernandez is also a breaststroker, owning best times of 1:03.60/2:21.14 in the 100/200 breast.
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