You are working on Staging1

U.S. National Team-er, Top 20 HM Arik Katz Sends Verbal to Harvard for 2020

Fitter and Faster Swim Clinics is the proud sponsor of SwimSwam’s College Recruiting Channel and all commitment news. For many, swimming in college is a lifelong dream that is pursued with dedication and determination. Fitter and Faster is proud to honor these athletes and those who supported them on their journey.

2019-20 U.S. National Team member Arik Katz of the Sarasota Tsunami has verbally committed to the admissions process* at Harvard for 2020. Katz, a distance specialist, was on Team USA at the 2019 World Junior Championships, where he finished fifth in the mile and eighth in the 800 free. He made the honorable mention list in our rankings of the top 20 high school boys in the class of 2020.

So excited to announce my commitment to swim and study at Harvard! Go Crimson!

Katz’s oldest brother Alex swam at Michigan and then NYU, his older sister Taylor swam at Florida, and his other older brother Austin is a junior at Texas and the 2018 NCAA champion in the 200 back.

TOP TIMES (SCY/LCM)

  • 200 free – 1:37.96 // 1:53.30
  • 500/400 free – 4:23.32 // 3:53.78
  • 1000/800 free – 8:57.37 // 7:57.23
  • 1650/1500 free – 15:01.92 // 15:05.93
  • 400 IM – 3:53.69 // 4:42.97

Katz is the reigning Florida 3A State Champ in the 500 free, where he went his current best time at the 2018 championships last year as a junior with Venice High School. He then went on to take fourth in the mile and 12th in the 800 free at the 2019 U.S. National Championships.

This is a major get for Harvard, who will have Dean Farris and Raphael Marcoux back on the team next year (both are taking an Olympic redshirt). Harvard just graduated three of its four best distance swimmers, including 2019 NCAA 500 free A-finalist Brennan Novak, and Katz comes in with times that would’ve taken third in the 1000, fourth in the 1650, and 10th in the 500 at the 2019 Ivy League Champs. Right now, he’s just under eight seconds off of the 2019 NCAA invite time in the mile.

Katz joins three other men in Harvard’s class of 2024 who also publicly announced their verbal commitments in the last few days: Dylan Rhee, Quinn Harron, and Will Raidt.

*IVY LEAGUE DISCLAIMER: A “verbal commitment” by a coach is not an offer of admission, as only the Admissions Office has that authority. An Ivy League coach can only commit his or her support in the admissions process. Moreover, an Ivy League Likely Letter is not an offer of admission to the university.

https://www.instagram.com/p/B3IaySRH0Vu/

If you have a commitment to report, please send an email with a photo (landscape, or horizontal, looks best) and a quote to [email protected].

About the Fitter and Faster Swim Tour 

The Fitter & Faster Swim Tour produces swim clinics featuring elite stars of the sport and the most innovative teaching platforms. FFT Swim Clinics can be customized to meet age and skill level of every team and community. Call 786-837-6880 or visit http://www.fitterandfaster.com/ to learn more.

FFT SOCIAL

Instagram – @fitterandfasterswimtour

Facebook – @fitterandfastertour

Twitter – @fitterandfaster

FFT is a SwimSwam partner.

In This Story

12
Leave a Reply

Subscribe
Notify of

12 Comments
newest
oldest most voted
Inline Feedbacks
View all comments
fkhjgghvc
5 years ago

Alex and Austin are spitting images of each other. I bet arik gets made fun of for being adopted

Swammer
5 years ago

Congrats! Love reading this stuff !!

Swammer
5 years ago

Congrats ! Love reading this stuff.

wow
5 years ago

Arik is the sweetest person on any pool deck. Star student, star athlete, star human. Congrats, can’t wait to see what you do in the future!

hookem91
5 years ago

Pretty sure he swims for Sarasota Tsunami now and not Sarasota Y.

Jimbo
Reply to  hookem91
5 years ago

He swims for the Sarasota Y sharks. Same as his family.

Jimbo
Reply to  Jimbo
5 years ago

My mistake just checked I didn’t realize he switched teams

UpstateCoach
Reply to  Jimbo
4 years ago

ALSO, Sarasota Y Sharks are now just the Sarasota Sharks

Swammer
5 years ago

Those must be some proud parents!

PAC SWIM FAN
Reply to  Swammer
5 years ago

Wow–imagine all those hungry swim kids back in the same house–I’m thinking Costco…

Nswim
5 years ago

I was wondering if he was related, that’s one fast family. awesome grab for Harvard!

UF needs a new pool
Reply to  Nswim
5 years ago

Yeah, the Katz family is legendary

About Braden Keith

Braden Keith

Braden Keith is the Editor-in-Chief and a co-founder/co-owner of SwimSwam.com. He first got his feet wet by building The Swimmers' Circle beginning in January 2010, and now comes to SwimSwam to use that experience and help build a new leader in the sport of swimming. Aside from his life on the InterWet, …

Read More »