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Zoey Lusk, a senior at Cave Spring High School in Roanoke, Virginia, has signed to stay close to home and swim at James Madison University in fall of 2024. The addition is part of a renewed focus on in-state recruiting in recent years from JMU head coach Dane Pedersen – three of the program’s six fall signees are from the state of Virginia, including two divers Juliet Wells and Emma LaFountain.
Lusk, who trains with the Virginia Gators, placed 3rd in the 200 free and 4th in the 100 fly at the February 2023 Virginia Class 3* State Championships.
Virginia has 6 high school state championship levels for public schools, with Class 1 being the state’s smallest schools and Class 6 being the state’s biggest schools.
She was also a Region 3D Champion in the 100 yard fly.
A star as an age grouper, Lusk was a 2018 LSC Champion in the 200 free and 200 fly as an 11-12 year old and qualified to race as part of Virginia Swimming’s Zones team.
Best Times in Yards:
- 50 free – 24.67
- 100 free – 53.39
- 200 free – 1:53.76
- 100 fly – 55.97
- 200 fly – 2:04.53
Lusk was a very good backstroker as an age grouper as well – she swam 57.14 and 2:04.32 in the 100 and 200 yard backstrokes in 2019, when she was an 8th grade, though she has shifted her focus to butterfly and sprint free since then.
The butterfly events is where JMU will need her most. Their best butterflier this season, Madison Cottrell, has been 56.34. The 2023 CCSA Champion, Cottrell has a best of 53.2, but she’s a 5th year swimmer for JMU this year, meaning she won’t return next year.
Now into the Sun Belt Conference, James Madison can expect multiple A-Finals from Lusk as a freshman. Her best time in the 100 fly would already rank her 4th in the conference this season, and she still has her high school and LSC championship season to go in the spring.
Besides Lusk, JMU has also signed Alli Straub from Illinois, who is a high school Sectional Champion in the 100 fly as well with a best of 56.2; and Madison Wimmer from Pennsylvania, a freestyler who should immediately move into the Dukes’ free relays.
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