OT Qualifier Lauren Barakey Makes Verbal Commitment to Tennessee

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Virginia Beach, Virginia’s Lauren Barakey has announced her verbal commitment to the University of Tennessee for 2020-21. Barakey is a senior at Ocean Lakes High School; she swims year-round for TIDE Swimming. She will join Aly Breslin, Annie Rimmer, Elle Caldow, Jasmine Rumley, Jordan Aurnou-Rhees, Katelyn Yule, Margaret Marando, Nicola Lane, and Olivia Harper in the class of 2024.

“I’m super excited to announce my verbal commitment to continue my athletic and academic career at the University of Tennessee!! Thank you to all my family, friends, and coaches who have supported me. I couldn’t have made it this far without you guys. Go Vols!!🍊🧡”

Barakey is a breaststroke specialist who has qualified for 2020 U.S. Olympic Team Trials with a 1:10.86 in the 100m breast. She achieved the standard this summer at Speedo Junior Nationals, where she finished 10th. She also competed in the 200 breast, finishing 32nd in prelims with 2:37.64. She then time-trialed the 200 and went 2:35.92, which was a lot closer to her lifetime best of 2:34.54 from last summer’s Junior Nationals. Barakey has a successful outing last March at TYR ISCA Junior Championship Cup. There, she won the 100 breast and was runner-up in the 50/200 breast. She also finaled in the 200 free (27th) and 200 IM (5th), and went lifetime bests in the SCY 200 free and 200 breast and the LCM 200 free, 50 breast, and 200 IM.

Barakey will join a Lady Vols breaststroke group headed by juniors Nikol Popov (58.24/ 2:07.60 last season), Alex Gebel (1:00.15/ 2:16.88), Tjasa Pintar (1:00.41/ 2:19.24), Alexis Yager (1:02.68/ 2:09.86), and Emily Sykes (1:01.09/ 2:11.87). Even converting her LCM 1:10.86 to a SCY 1:02.0, Barakey is just a tick out of scoring range at the conference level. It took 1:01.92/ 2:13.24 to get second swims in the 100/200 breast at 2019 SEC Championships.

Top SCY times:

• 100 breast – 1:03.13
• 200 breast – 2:17.46
• 200 IM – 2:06.14
• 400 IM – 4:31.61

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