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Connor Blandford, from Clayton, North Carolina, has made a verbal commitment to swim for University of Kentucky beginning next fall.
“The coaches and team are really easy to connect with and are fun to be around, and I was really impressed with UK’s academics and facilities. I also loved the campus and I’m very excited to be a Wildcat!”
Blandford swims for the Marlins of Raleigh and is massively versatile, with national-level times in IMs, backstrokes, and breaststrokes. He also represents Corinth Holders High School and helped the Pirates to a sixth-place team finish at the 2015 NCHSAA 3A State Championships. Blandford won the 200 IM (1:53.95) and was runner-up in the 100 back (52.03); he also led off the medley relay and anchored the 400 free relay.
Blandford’s top times are:
| SCY | LCM | |
| 200 IM | 1:52.10 | 2:08.76 |
| 400 IM | 3:56.75 | 4:32.15 |
| 100 back | 51.39 | 59.80 |
| 200 back | 1:49.80 | 2:08.47 |
| 100 breast | 57.43 | 1:07.61 |
| 200 breast | 2:05.79 | 2:28.60 |
It took a 1:48/3:53 to make the “C” final cutoff of the 200/400 IMs at 2015 SEC Championships. In the 100/200 backstroke, it was 48/1:45, and in the breast it was 55/2:00. Blandford had some hefty time drops this season, including 2 seconds in the 200m IM and 7 in the 400m IM. A short course season like that will put him in scoring position for the Wildcats at the conference level.
Blandford joins a talented group of fellow commits in the University of Kentucky class of 2020 that includes:
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