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Paige Thome has announced her verbal commitment to the University of Alabama, beginning with the 2024-2025 season. Thome, a USA Swimming Scholastic All-American, attends Cuthbertson High School in Waxhaw, North Carolina.
Thome shared her commitment on Instagram:
Thome, who trains year-round with SwimMAC Carolina, primarily swims breaststroke, fly and IM. This past December at Winter Juniors – East, she competed in the 200 breast, 200 fly, 200 IM, and 400 IM, setting personal best times in all but the 400 IM. She earned her highest finish in the 200 fly at 27th, where she set a best time by a second to post a 2:02.59.
Thome recently raced at the North Carolina High School State Championship in February, where she advanced to finals in the 100 fly. She ended up logging a 57.35 in finals, good for 15th overall. She also swam the 200 IM, where she finished 17th with a 2:08.16. She went on a few weeks later to compete at the North Carolina Senior Championships, where she dropped her season best time in the 100 fly further to 56.69, taking 17th overall.
Top SCY Times:
- 100 breast – 1:04.18
- 200 breast – 2:17.59
- 100 fly – 56.31
- 200 fly – 2:02.59
- 200 IM – 2:03.27
- 400 IM – 4:20.52
The Alabama women finished 4th at the 2023 SEC Championships and 14th at the 2023 NCAA Division I Championships. Thome likely has the best chance at scoring at the conference level in the 400 IM and 200 breast, where it took a 4:16.36 and 2:13.44 to advance. She’s outside of scoring range now, but still has over a year to continue to improve before arriving in Tuscaloosa.
The 200 breast was a strong event for Alabama at SECs this season, as they picked up 74 points in that event alone. The 400 IM was much weaker, and only contributed 12 points to the team total. Alabama put three women in the A-final of the 200 breaststroke, led by Avery Wiseman who took 3rd (2:05.85). Joining her in the championship final was Cat Wright in 6th (2:09.31) and Jocelyn Fisher in 7th (2:09.36).
In the 400 IM, Kensey McMahon and Laci Black raced in the C-final. McMahon earned 17th with a 4:11.62, while Black took 22nd with a 4:15.47. Much of this group will have turned over when Thome arrives, with Wiseman and Black being the only athletes still on campus for the 2024-2025 season.
Thome joins Audrey Cohen, Lexi Stephens, Teia Salvino, Marie Landreneau, and Emma Sundermeyer in Alabama’s class of 2028. Cohen also swims breaststroke, and owns best times of 1:02.30/2:15.52 in the 100/200 breast.
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