Olympic medalist Paige Madden is the latest elite American swimmer to join the stacked pro group training out of Arizona State University.
Madden, 24, announced she was joining the squad on Monday via Instagram.
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The move to Tempe marks Madden’s third change of training bases in as many years, having joined Loughborough University in England in June 2022 after training out of her alma mater, the University of Virginia, following her graduation in 2021.
After a successful collegiate career that included sweeping the 200, 500 and 1650 freestyle events at the 2021 Women’s NCAA Championships, Madden broke through in the long course pool by qualifying for the U.S. Olympic team in the women’s 400 free and 800 free relay.
She went on to win silver in Tokyo on the relay while making the individual final in the 400 free, placing 7th.
In April 2022, after finishing 15th in the 200 free at the U.S. World Trials, Madden revealed that she’s been dealing with Hashimoto’s disease for over a decade, though the 2021-22 campaign was the first time it really impacted her competitive career.
After taking some time away from the pool, Madden has returned to strong form over the past 12 months, swimming some promising times while over in England before placing 5th at U.S. Nationals in the 400 free (4:06.78) and 11th in the 200 free (1:58.50).
That 400 free time marked her fastest since 2021, and then one month later at the U.S. Pro Championships, she won the 200 free in 1:57.41 to mark her quickest time since March 2022 (also winning the 400 in 4:07.97).
Madden joins an ASU group that recently added top U.S. male freestyler Drew Kibler, and also includes several athletes with decorated international resumes including Leon Marchand, Chase Kalisz, Jay Litherland, Ryan Held, Regan Smith, Simone Manuel, Olivia Smoliga and Hali Flickinger.
hali is basically retired. Surprised there has been no interview on this
Wouldn’t be surprised if Kate Douglass moves there as well
Coleman literally did an interview with Kate last week. She said she was staying to train at UVa for this year taking her Masters.
Didn’t really work out at Loughborough the way it has for some others unfortunately…
Jacob Whittle has also left, all be it the National Centre set up.
With media articles circulating in the Uk of athletes within the NC fighting, it has more drama than Man Utd going on!
I find it surprising ASU has not had the same recruiting success for their Men’s college team as with the pro group. Ilya Kharun committed to ASU before their 2022-23 success. And while he is a great swimmer (World Championship finals both SCM and LCM) the SwimCloud recruiting standings for this year’s incoming freshman only lists him 13th best, with Cal having four ahead of him, Stanford three and Texas and NCState with two each. ASU’s next best rated freshman on SwimCloud is Filip Senc-Samardzic at #148. For next year’s recruits, ASU’s top recruit presently is Michael Hochwalt at #31. The Sun Devils still have a chance to improve this year base Kharun and further progress from several guys that… Read more »
Stanford, Cal, Florida, and Texas are all Top 50 Universities
Four more top 10 finishers at NCAAs are between 50 and 100 – Va Tech, Indiana, NC State, and Auburn.
Tennessee is outside the top 100, but still above ASU.
And ASU is the lowest ranked university (on USNews at least) of the top 10 swim schools last year.
Most high school swimmers want some kind of balance when they are looking at where to spend four years. It isn’t only about swimming. Value of the degree is – and should be – a big factor.
Most of those college rankings, as relate to undergrads, are subjective arrogant drivel meat to appeal to parental egos. How well you do when you get to any reputable university is more important. That differential is more important at the grad school level.This coming from someone admitted to Harvard and Stanford.
Even less impressive recruiting on the Women’s side.
Who finances the pro group? Does ASU foot the bills or the pros or sponsors have to contribute? What does the University get out of it really?
No idea about the financing, but it is an incredible recruiting tool for ASU.
Carson Foster is next.
I think after Paris, yes
Crazy how Bowman wouldn’t be coaching rn if he didn’t completely kick his way into the 2 most generational swimming talents in the last 30 years
Those text messages would’ve ended any career except for his
*luck
Bowman brings all the swimmers to ASU
And they’re like… It’s better than yours
He could teach you, but he’d have to charge
Yup 😁