Lisa Bratton from the Tri-City Channel Cats and Richland High School near the Oregon border has verbally committed to Texas A&M.
Bratton is a backstroker, primarily, with yards bests of 54.85 and 1:58.02 in the 100 and 200 yard races, and is a very balanced swimmer who has also gone 2:01.53 and 4:18.54 in the 200 and 400 yard IM’s.
Bratton is the two-time defending Washington State Champion in the 200 IM in 4A (big school) action, and the one-time defending champion in the 100 back as well – as a sophomore she won the 200 IM and swam three relays.
The Aggies will graduate their top backstroker, Paige Miller, after this season, but they’ve found out that Kelli Benjamin and Claire Brandt, both of whom looked like they’d be primarily sprint freestylers, are actually stud-potential backstrokers (it would be misleading to imply like they both weren’t good high school backstrokers, but nothing like the 52 that Benjamin went as a sophomore last season).
Bratton, though, gives the Aggies another long-term option on the medley relays, and should score points at the SEC Championships as a freshman.
The 2013 edition of the Washington State Championship meets begins in just under three weeks, running finals on Saturday, November 16th.
The Aggies have a bit of a late-breaking recruiting class, but it’s a very good one that also includes Kristin Malone, a sprint freestyler from Wisconsin, and Bethany Galat, the class’ best breaststroker.
Based off her long course times (1:02/2:11!!!!!) in the backstrokes I would say she is going to end up being a huge addition for the aggies. Her short course times should see a huge drop this season.
Really happy to see A&M is starting to get deep recruiting classes! Of all schools I am most surprised they don’t get more than one star per class flock there!