World Jr Champs Bronze Medalist Hannah Cox Commits to Arizona

Upper Valley Aquatic Club freestyler/IMer Hannah Cox has given a verbal commitment to the University of Arizona, she announced today on Twitter/Instagram.

https://instagram.com/p/8MTgrsxPNF/

Cox surged onto the international scene this summer after an outstanding show at U.S. Nationals landed her a spot on the 2015 World Junior Championships roster for Team USA. There, she won bronze in the 200 freestyle (1:59.28), finished 4th in the 400 free (4:08.69), and swam on the 400 and 800 free relays for the United States. She split a 56.27 on the 400 free relay, which placed 5th, and anchored the 800 relay with a team-fastest 1:58.00, nearly catching Russia for the bronze.

Her best times in yards all come from meets in December of 2014, see below:

• 100 free – 50.17
• 200 free – 1:47.03
• 500 free – 4:42.32
• 200 back – 1:59.40
• 200 IM – 2:00.23
• 400 IM – 4:11.66

She was significantly off these times at the New Hampshire Swim Association (NHSA) State Championships this past March, but then turned around for a fantastic summer. Below are her bests in long course, next to her 2014 best times for comparison:

Her emboldened times above, arguably the most impressive, were swum at the World Junior Champs. She was just a hundredth slower in the 200 free at U.S. Nationals (1:59.29) where she finished 5th, and then swam a 4:09.61 to finish 7th in the 400 free at that meet. Cox’s long course improvements from last summer to this summer speak volumes about her improvement curve, and the most impressive jump has come in her 400 free. Getting down significantly under 4:10 is a testament to a female mid-distance freestyler’s prowess in the event, but Cox’s time drop of almost ten full seconds in the race over a year’s time is truly admirable.

Seeing as her peak yards meet was in December last year, this upcoming winter should tell us more about her current ability to dominate in yards after she had such a successful summer in the big pool. While her yards bests are impressive, they don’t live up to her long course times. For example: her 200 free converts to a 1:44.57, and her 400 free to a 4:38.64.

Regardless of whether or not she can put up those hypothetical projections in the future, Cox is a threat in freestyle from the 100 through the 500 with a very good 400 IM to boot.  The Wildcats will certainly benefit from her as soon as she gets to campus. She would have made A finals in the 500 free and 400 IM and B finals in the 100 and 200 free at last season’s Pac 12 Champs, and her long course-converted bests in the 500 free and 200 free would make her a ready-made NCAA scorer. Her 400 IM is also about two seconds out of scoring contention at the national level.

Cox joins a small but mighty group of 2020 commits to Arizona, including World Junior Champs finalist Kennedy Lohman and butterflier/IMer Abby Miller.