Kyla Valls from Miami, Florida has given her verbal commitment to swim for the Virginia Cavaliers’ women’s team, as part of the Class of 2021.
Valls’ club team is Miami Swimming, and she also competes for her high school, Ransom Everglades. She is a four-time Olympic Trials qualifier in the 50, 100 and 200 meter free, as well as the 200 meter fly. She is also a high school All-American after winning the 200 yard free in 1:47.28 at the 2015-2016 FHSAA 1A Swimming Championships.
Here best times are outlined below:
| Event | Time (SCY) | Time (LCM) |
| 50 Free | 23.41 | 26.06 |
| 100 Free | 49.91 | 56.24 |
| 200 Free | 1:47.28 | 2:02.08 |
| 100 Fly | 55.23 | 1:02.85 |
| 200 Fly | 1:59.61 | 2:14.80 |
Valls is coming off a great long course summer, and will be a huge pick-up for the Cavaliers if she can translate that success into her final short course season as a high school senior. Her best times in the 50 through 200 free were achieved this May, just prior to the Olympics.
The Virginia women’s team had a formidable freestyle corps last season. They had four swimmers under 22.45 in the 50 free, four under 49 flat in the 100 free, and four under 1:46 in the 200 free. However, current seniors Leah Smith, Ellen Thomas and Kaitlyn Jones will graduate before Valls arrives in Charlottesville, which may open up spots on Virginia’s A relays. Nevertheless, even with the current talent, Valls could still have contributed to last year’s team in the 200 fly, where her time would have ranked her 4th on the team.
Valls is the third verbal commitment for Virginia women’s team, which has gotten off to a slower start than the men’s team. She joins Abby Richter and Caroline Gmelich.
If you have a commitment to report, please send an email to [email protected].
AB