Winter Juniors Qualifier JJ Chapman Sends Verbal To UMBC

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Marlins of Raleigh’s and Apex High School’s JJ Chapman has announced his verbal commitment to join the UMBC Retrievers for the fall of 2021. He will join classmate and Marlins teammate Tull Perkins, who also committed to swim at UMBC next fall. 

“I chose UMBC for their great academics and amazing team chemistry. Go dawgs!!”

Over the summer, Chapman dropped in seven events at two TAC Titan Invites in August, shortly after competition restarted following the coronavirus quarantines. In the 400 IM, he dropped 4 seconds from his previous best in December to hit a new Winter Junior National qualifying time. Along with the 400, he also improved significantly in the 200 IM and 200 back, dropping 4 and 1.8 seconds respectively. Back in March at the 2020 Cary Sectionals, Chapman placed 13th in the 200m back. 

Swimming for Apex High School, Chapman has finaled four times at the North Carolina 4A State Championship, most recently finishing 13th and 7th, respectively, in the 100 back and 200 IM at the 2020 meet. Freshman year, then attending GRACE Christian School, he placed 3rd in the 100 breast and 200 IM. 

TOP SCY TIMES:

• 200 IM – 1:51.70
• 400 IM – 3:58.18
• 100 Back – 52.27
• 200 Back – 1:49.50
• 100 Fly – 51.41
• 200 Fly –  1:53.64

Chapman’s versatility as a swimmer will provide a strong boost to the UMBC squad in 2021. At the 2020 American East Conference Championships, he would have placed in the A final for the 200 fly 200 back, 200 IM, and 400 IM. He also would have been top 16 in the 100 fly. UMBC men dominated the conference last year, taking home the title for the fourth year in a row and 12th time in program history. 

Chapman and Perkins will join Oliver Gassmann and Egyptian Yassin Tolba, both sprint specialists, in the UMBC’s class of 2025.

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