U.S. Open Water National Champion Becca Mann has made her college decision, verbally committing to the USC Trojans for the 2016 season and beyond.
Mann was rated as our #3 recruit nationally in terms of pool swimming, but is even better in open water, where she won the 2015 U.S. National title in the 10K and competed at the World Championships in Kazan, Russia.
That open water arena is likely a huge draw for Mann to USC, which features U.S. Olympic open water coach Catherine Vogt on its staff.
Mann perhaps dropped a hint on social media last week, expressing great excitement at Vogt’s selection as open water head coach for the U.S. Olympic team.
Today, Mann publicized her commitment on Twitter, posting a very spirited photo of herself in full Trojan getup:
#FightOn ✌🏽️😂 pic.twitter.com/J5x4Gw4DDx
— Becca Mann (@becca__mann) October 4, 2015
Mann competes for the North Baltimore Aquatic Club, but has previously represented the Clearwater Aquatic Team as well.
Mann’s Top Times
- 1650 free: 15:45.33
- 500 free: 4:34.77
- 200 free: 1:47.73
- 200 fly: 1:56.97
- 200 back: 1:57.19
- 200 IM: 1:58.46
- 400 IM: 4:05.52
Mann is not only a great distance freestyler, she should turn out to be a big help to the Trojans in the IMs and the 200s of fly and back as well.
Her best 1650 free time would have been 2nd at last year’s NCAA Championships, and she would have been 4th in the 500 free.
Training with Vogt at USC should also allow Mann to continue chasing her open water aspirations. Mann was a top contender for the U.S. Olympic team for 2016, but barely missed the cut, finishing 14th at Worlds with the top 10 earning Olympic bids. The only U.S. Olympian on the women’s side, Haley Anderson, also swam for the USC Trojans and continues to represent Trojan in competition.
I hope she starts a trend of creative commitment announcements. This is hilarious.
I hope she wears this at meets on the pool deck
wonder why no ASU?
the question would be why ASU?
yeah why would she go to ASU just for the coach
She may have chosen USC, in large part, for the coach…Catherine Vogt! Congratulations to Rebecca and Catherine. I wish you both all the best!
She is a swimmer, so why wouldn’t she consider the coach with whom she’ll be swimming with for 4 long years? It is an undergrad for goodness sakes. If the swimmer is gearing more towards education, then go to an Ivy League! You are NOT going to be a swimmer forever (unless you’re Dara or Natalie) but you can always further your education at any age, at any school. If I am a competitive swimmer and would like to continue at that level until I turn pro, I would choose the best coach there is. In this case, Becca may have chosen Catherine Vogt! So, SwimFans, quit bashing ASU and Bob Bowman for that matter!
Congrats Becca-great choice-USC is lucky to have you. Becca works very hard. Glad to see it paid off.
a natural choice, big things to come from Becca! USC women looking strong for the next few years
Congratulations to an incredible young woman, athlete, and scholar. USC is so lucky to have you and we couldn’t be happier for you! We will get you to a cosplay convention yet, your skills are showing there, girl! Love, The Schmidt Family