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Amelia Harper has announced her verbal commitment to further her education and swimming career at Vanderbilt University next fall. Harper hails from Aiken, South Carolina, where she attends Aiken High School and swims for the Aiken-Augusta Swim League.
“I chose Vanderbilt University for the exceptional academics as well as the close knit, family-like team of girls. I am so excited to spend my next four years in Nashville!!”
Harper is primarily a breaststroke and IM specialist, and currently owns a 2024 Futures cut in the 100m breast, 200m IM, and 400m IM. She raced at Futures this past summer, where she recorded her highest finish of the meet in the 200m IM at 27th (2:23.70). Her swim marked a personal best by a few tenths, but was over a second faster than where she was in 2022.
More recently, Harper represented her high school at the South Carolina High School State Championships (4A). She captured the state title in the 100 breast in 1:05.74, putting her within a second of her personal best from last December. Harper also contributed a 3rd place finish in the 200 IM (2:07.56), and was her team’s backstroker on the 200 medley relay (28.04) and 2nd leg of the 200 freestyle relay (24.51).
Top SCY Times
- 50 breast – 30.53
- 100 breast – 1:04.82
- 200 breast – 2:23.47
- 200 IM – 2:06.22
- 400 IM – 4:31.74
Under the direction of long-time head coach Jeremy Organ, Vanderbilt finished 12th at the 2023 SEC Championships. Faith Knelson was the team’s top scorer individually, as she qualified for finals in both breaststroke events with times of 1:00.79 and 2:12.68, respectively.
Knelson, a senior this year, leads the breaststroke group again so far this season with times of 1:01.26 and 2:16.11 at the Gamecock Invite. The top performer in the 200 IM so far is Ellie Taliaferro, who’s been as fast as 2:00.98. Taliaferro is a sophomore this season, and will overlap with Harper for two years.
Harper will join Emily Constable, Aubrey Hull, Amelia Peterson, and Cole Liffmann in Vanderbilt’s incoming class next fall.
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Does Vandy offer scholarships for their swim team?
Good Luck and We will miss you at ASL! I can’t wait for Thanksgiving and Christmas catch ups and watching you at SECs!