NEW COMMIT: Pretoria, South Africa’s Duné Coetzee has announced her verbal commitment to the University of Georgia and will suit up for the Bulldogs at the start of the 2021-22 season.
She will arrive in Athens as a member of the class of 2025 along with Mia Abruzzo, Lily Gardner, Mary Martin, Elsa Fretz and Rachel Stege.
Coetzee attends Afrikaanse Hoër Meisieskool and swims year-round with University of Pretoria Aquatics. She won the 400m free and 200m fly at the 2019 South African National Championships and placed eighth in the 200m fly at World Juniors. She also competed for Team South Africa at the World Championships where she achieved three top-25 finishes.
She told Swimming World:
“I’m very proud to announce my verbal commitment to the University of Georgia to start in the fall of 2021! I’m embarking on a life changing journey and I believe the University of Georgia and the staff within their swimming program will offer me the world class support I’ll need along the way. To everyone who shaped me for who I am today, including my family and my coach Linda de Jager, thank you with all my heart. A special thank you to my home swimming club Tuks and its staff whom I’ve represented with pride since I was a little 9-year-old girl. I will strive to make all of you and my country proud and will give my new team everything I’ve got and learned from all of you! GO DAWGS!!!!”
In LCM, best times include:
- 100m free – 57.38
- 200m free – 2:01.09
- 400m free – 4:14.27
- 800m free – 8:47.97
- 100m fly – 1:00.01
- 200m fly – 2:10.89
In SCY, those times convert to:
- 100 free – 50.25
- 200 free – 1:46.20
- 500 free – 4:44.89
- 1000 free – 9:51.56
- 100 fly – 52.80
- 200 fly – 1:55.39
Even with 1.5 years to go before arriving in Athens, Coetzee will surely make an immediate impact in both the SEC and NCAA. Her best times converted to yards would’ve placed her in the 200 fly A-final, 100 fly/200 free B-final, and 500 free C-final at the 2019 SEC Championships. Her best 200 fly converted time is also faster than what made NCAAs last year, and she’ll have one year to train with Dakota Luther.
If you have a commitment to share, please send a photo and quote via email to hs@swimmingworld.com.
