Minnesota Class A Record-holder James Pan (2022) Verbally Commits to Princeton

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Two-time USA Swimming Scholastic All-American James Pan from Maple Grove, Minnesota has announced his verbal commitment to the application process* at Princeton University for 2022-23.

“I am extremely excited and honored to announce my commitment to the application process at Princeton University! I am especially grateful to my family, coaches, teachers, teammates, and friends for their amazing support and encouragement throughout this journey. Princeton is the perfect place for me to achieve my goals both academically and athletically. I believe that both Coach Crispino and Coach Lennox have a strong vision for the team and each swimmer. Go Tigers!🐯”

Pan was recognized for his breaststroke in the Best of the Rest section of our Way Too Early List of top recruits from the high school class of 2022. At the time the article was written, he had PBs of 55.1/2:02.5 in the 100/200 breast. Since then, he has dropped 1 second in the 100 and 2.7 seconds in the 200.

A junior at Breck High School, he competed at the 2021 MHSHL Boys Class A Swimming and Diving Championships in Minneapolis last weekend. Individually, he won the 200 IM (1:47.90) and 100 breast (54.16) with MN Class A record-breaking times in both events. He also contributed to a pair of BreckBlake relay titles, swimming breast (24.65) on the 4×50 medley and anchoring (20.88) the 4×50 free. Last year, he went 1:49.74 in the IM and 55.14 in the breast and was runner-up in both events.

High school progression:

Pan does his club swimming with Aquajets Swim Team. He hasn’t raced in long course meters since the summer of 2019, but at the 2021 Central Zone North Sectionals in March, he was able to time trial the 100m breast and dropped just over 1 second to clock a PB of 1:05.54. Also at that meet, he picked up a PB in the 100y free, placing 3rd in the final with 45.47. He was 3rd in the 100 breast and 4th in the 200 breast, as well.

Best SCY times:

• 100 breast – 54.16
• 200 breast – 1:59.83
• 200 IM – 1:47.90
• 100 free – 45.47
• 100 fly – 51.43
• 100 back – 51.49

Pan will join Denmark’s Lucas Strobek in the Princeton class of 2026. The Ivy League canceled its 2020-21 season but in 2020, Pan would have been an A finalist in the 100 breast and a B finalist in the 200 breast and 200 IM at the Ivy League Men’s Swimming and Diving Championships, where the Tigers finished second. Placing 3rd in the 100 breast and 5th in the 200 breast at that meet was then-junior Corey Lau, who also hailed from Minnesota. Princeton senior Derek Cox won both events.

One of Pan’s goals is to improve his fantasy football bracket. A huge Viking fan, he loves watching football but has yet to put together a winning bracket. He’s also a fan of cooking shows and anime.

*Note: A verbal commitment between an Ivy League coach and a prospective student-athlete is not an offer of admission, as only the Admission Office has that authority. The coach can only commit his or her support in the admission process. Ivy League Admission Offices do not issue “Likely Letters” before October 1 of the prospective student-athlete’s senior year of high school. The Likely Letter, while issued after an initial read of the student’s application, is not an offer of admission to the university.

If you have a commitment to report, please send an email with a photo (landscape, or horizontal, looks best) and a quote to [email protected].

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