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Sprinter Ava Lachey of suburban Columbus, Ohio has verbally committed to UCLA for fall 2022, heading to the west coast while her older sister Mia Lachey is staying local as part of Ohio State’s class of 2024. UCLA’s head coach Jordan Wolfrum had her previous stop in Columbus as an associate head coach at Ohio State, where she did much of the recruiting work on older sister Mia.
I am SO excited to announce my verbal commitment to continue my academic and athletic career at UCLA! I want to thank my family, coaches and teammates for their support throughout this process. I cannot wait to join this amazing team! GO BRUINS!
Ava previously trained under the Ohio State Swim Club banner, but that club suspended operations for the season. Lachey now trains with the New Albany Swim Club.
TOP TIMES (SCY)
- 50 free – 23.45
- 100 free – 50.02
- 200 free – 1:49.29
- 100 back – 56.16
- 200 back – 2:04.21
- 100 fly – 55.60
- 200 IM – 2:05.52
Lachey is a junior at New Albany High School in Ohio. A few years ago, she helped set NAG relay records in the 11-12 age group in LCM; records in the 400 medley relay and both the 200 and 400 free relays still stand today.
Competing at the Ohio HS Division II Championships, Lachey has made the 100 free A-final as a freshman (3rd) and sophomore (5th), while she was also sixth in the 50 free as a sophomore in 2020. Both years, she’s anchored New Albany to the 400 free relay Div. I relay title.
Lachey competed at both the Speedo Junior Nationals and the Winter Junior Championships – East in 2019.
She is an Ohio Swimming LSC Record holder in 31 events, 15 in short course and 16 in long course, in the 14 & under age groups.
UCLA had seven women under 23 seconds in the 50 free, seven under 50 seconds in the 100 free and seven under 1:50 in the 200 free. They return the bulk of their sprint group this season, including junior Claire Grover (21.98/47.74 career bests). The current freshman class includes sprinters Sam Baron (23.1/50.3), Maya Wilson (23.7/50.7/1:48.7) and Maddie Wright (23.8/51.0/1:49.6). There’s more sprint speed coming in 2021, too, with incoming freshmen Gizem Guvenc, a Turkish record-holder in the 200 free (26.1/55.4/1:58.2 LCM), and domestic additions Mia Chang (23.7/49.3) and Joanie Cash (23.1/50.6).
Lachey joins Courtney Seljeseth and Fay Lustria in UCLA’s class of 2026.
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UCLAchey
Congrats Ava! As a former UCLA swimmer and former resident of New Albany myself, great to see! Go Bruins!
Congrats Ava!
1 v 1 me on the abyss m8
Come out and play. Heheheh.
She competed D1 not D2.
They won 400FR but were not close to Ursuline’s record either year.
Ouch
How close was Ursuline the past 2 years in the 400FR to NA? Not very. Would check what you say before you can say anything about “times” because Ursuline hasn’t been even close to hitting that time since 2014.
I don’t believe OSO was saying anything disparaging to NA. That wasn’t the point. No one has been close to that record and don’t see anyone touching it in near future. I have no connection to either school.