Chandler Brandes - (Author)

15 Truths About Swimming Swimming is a sport like no other. You learn a lot about yourself throughout your years as a swimmer and the sport inherently instills valuable life lessons in you. Even when your time as a competitive swimmer is done, you still continue to learn more about the sport and hav...

The 29 Confessions of a Distance Swimmer - From the Archives By Chandler Brandes "I didn't choose the distance life. The distance life chose me." Well, not quite. Distance swimmers are all born the same way: we swam the 500 for the first time around age nine or 10 and didn't do too badly, so our coa...

Minnesota State Champ Libbi McCarthy Commits To In-State Golden Gophers  NEW COMMIT: Edina, Minn. native Libbi McCarthy will remain in state for her college career after she verbally committed to the University of Minnesota for Fall 2026. She's a U.S. Open qualifier. Regarding her commitment, she sa...

Indiana Lands 2026 Verbal From Junior Pan Pacs Medalist Oliver Dawson NEW COMMIT: Indiana University has scored a big verbal commitment for its growing Class of 2026 from Oliver Dawson of Grande Prairie, Alberta, Canada. He will join Brody Engelstad and Sam Wolf in Bloomington as a member of the Hoo...

Sprinter Albert Smelzer Verbally Commits To Cal For 2026 NEW COMMIT: Olympic Trials qualifier Albert Smelzer of Greensboro, North Carolina, will head to the west coast after verbally committing to the University of California, Berkeley, for Fall 2026. He will join Tim Wu, JD Thumann, Baylor Stanton ...

Alabama Snags 2026 Verbal From Nevada State Champ Addison Sala  NEW COMMIT: Junior National qualifier Addison Sala of Reno, Nevada, has announced her verbal commitment to the University of Alabama beginning in Fall 2026. She will join Georgia Wimberly in Tuscaloosa as a member of the Crimson Tide’s ...

Georgia Scores Another For 2026 From Breaststroker/IMer Abby King NEW COMMIT: U.S. Open qualifier Abby King of Mount Kisco, New York, has announced her verbal commitment to the University of Georgia beginning in Fall 2026. She will join Grace Hunt, Brooke Bennett and Virginia Hinds as a member of th...

U.S. Open Qualifier Zack Kusch Set To Join Northwestern In 2026 NEW COMMIT: Northwestern University has secured a new verbal commitment for the 2026-27 season and beyond from U.S. Open qualifier Zack Kusch out of Green Brook, New Jersey. He told Swimming World: "I am incredibly excited and honored t...

Addison Carlile To Join Iowa's Class Of 2030 NEW COMMIT: Junior National qualifier Addison Carlile of Newburgh, Indiana, has announced her verbal commitment to the University of Iowa beginning in Fall 2026. She told Swimming World: “I’m super excited to announce my verbal commitment to continue my a...

Junior National Finalist Alexis Cook Chooses Mizzou For 2026 NEW COMMIT: The University of Missouri has earned a verbal commitment for Fall 2026 from in-state Junior National qualifier Alexis Cook out of Ballwin, Mo. She told Swimming World: "I am so excited to announce my verbal commitment to conti...

Distance Freestyler Burak Iloglu Sends 2026 Verbal To Yale NEW COMMIT: Mountainside, New Jersey native and Junior National qualifier Burak Iloglu has pledged his verbal commitment* to Yale University starting in Fall 2026. He told Swimming World: "I am excited to announce my verbal commitment to the...

SCHSL Champion Grace Hunt Pledges 2026 Verbal To Georgia NEW COMMIT: Greer, South Carolina native and Junior National qualifier Grace Hunt has elected to continue her academic and swimming career at the University of Georgia starting in Fall 2026. She will join Brooke Bennett and Virginia Hinds as a...

UC Davis Scores 2026 Verbal From Rancho San Dieguito's Madison McCormick NEW COMMIT: UC Davis has scored a verbal commitment for the 2026-27 season and beyond from Futures qualifier Madison McCormick of Carlsbad, California. She's the Aggies' first public verbal pledge. She told Swimming World: "I a...

U.S. Open Qualifier Matthew Wolfle Hands 2026 Pledge To In-State Hokies NEW COMMIT: U.S. Open qualifier Matthew Wolfle of Richmond, Virginia, has verbally committed to his in-state Hokies. The breaststroker/IMer will arrive at Virginia Tech in Fall 2026. He told Swimming World: "I am so excited to a...

Backstroker Eva Rottink Picks Indiana For 2026 NEW COMMIT: Indiana University has picked up a new verbal commitment for the 2026-27 season and beyond from Eva Rottink out of Germantown, Tennessee. She will join Kayla Han in Bloomington as a member of the Hoosiers' Class of 2030. Regarding her commit...

Cal Bears Get Another Big 2026 Verbal From Local Product Tim Wu NEW COMMIT: The University of California, Berkeley has been on a recruiting tear, recently landing another big verbal pledge for 2026 from local product Tim Wu of San Ramon, Calif. Wu currently ranks in the top five in the Class of 2026...

U.S. Open Qualifier Michael Geh Chooses Princeton For 2026 NEW COMMIT: Princeton University has gained a new verbal commitment* from U.S. Open qualifier Michael Geh of Bronx, New York. He will join Peter Vu as a member of the Tigers' Class of 2030. Regarding his commitment, he said: “I am incredibly...

FHSAA State Champion Lily Doyle Selects Duke For 2026 NEW COMMIT: Duke University is putting together an all-star 2026 recruiting class, and its latest verbal commitment comes from Junior National qualifier Lily Doyle out of Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida. She will join Quinn White, Addison Bittel and R...

Indiana Secures 2026 Verbal From Sprinter Brody Engelstad  NEW COMMIT: Indiana University has scored a new verbal commitment for Fall 2026 from Junior National qualifier Brody Engelstad of West Fargo, North Dakota. He will join Sam Wolf in Bloomington as a member of the Hoosiers' Class of 2030. Rega...

Sprinter Cora Skoog Stays In State With 2026 Verbal To Texas A&M NEW COMMIT: Texas A&M University has kept in-state standout Cora Skoog of Boerne, Texas, in the Lone Star State for her college career after she announced her verbal commitment. She'll arrive on campus in Fall 2026. Regarding her commi...