NEW COMMITS: Harvard University has scored three big verbal commitments for the fall of 2020 from Zach Bartel, Quinn Harron, and Will Raidt, who will arrive in Cambridge at the start of the 2020-21 season.
Harvard has begun to form a stellar recruiting class as the three swimmers will also join Arik Katz and Dylan Rhee as members of the Crimson’s class of 2024.
The Crimson are coming off their most successful season in school history by winning their third-straight Ivy League title and placing eighth at NCAAs, their highest finish since getting 11th in 1998.
ZACH BARTEL
Photo Courtesy: Zach Bartel
Primarily a breaststroker and IMer, the Fort Collins, Colo. native does his club swimming with Fort Collins Area Swim Team and owns four U.S. Open standards. He most recently placed 19th in the 200m breast at Junior Nationals this past summer where he also recorded 100% best times. Last winter, he notched three lifetime bests at Juniors West before going on to have three top-10 finishes at Federal Way Speedo Sectionals.
Also competing for Fossil Ridge High School, Bartel is a four-time Colorado 5A State Championship finalist. The USA Swimming Scholastic All-American was the 200 IM runner-up and took fifth in the 100 breast as a junior after finishing seventh and second, respectively, in those events during his sophomore season.
He told Swimming World:
“I am very excited to announce my commitment to Harvard University. I would like to thank my family, friends, and coaches for all their support. Go Crimson!”
His best times include:
- 100 breast – 56.66
- 200 breast – 2:00.86
- 200 IM – 1:50.82
- 400 IM – 3:57.46
Bartel has made massive improvements in recent years, and will surely continue that trajectory before suiting up for the Crimson. Over the past two seasons, he has dropped six seconds in the 100 breast, 17 in the 200 breast, 11 in the 200 IM, and 39 in the 400 IM. He’ll join his sister, Zoe Bartel, who is currently an All-American at Stanford, in the NCAA next year.
QUINN HARRON
Photo Courtesy: Quinn Harron
Hailing from Sandy Springs, Ga., Harron swims year-round with Dynamo Swim Club and is a talented breaststroker/IMer like his future training partner Bartel. The four-time U.S. Open qualifier capped off his long course summer season with a pair of best times at Junior Nationals after earning silver in the 400m IM at the Georgia Open. At Juniors East in December, he raced to 24th in the 200 breast and earned bronze in that event at the Southern Premier Invitational in March.
The USA Swimming Scholastic All-American is a six-time Georgia 1A-5A State Championship finalist for the Marist School. He earned silver in the 200 IM and bronze in the 100 breast during both his sophomore and junior seasons after placing 12th and ninth, respectively, in those events during his rookie campaign.
He told Swimming World:
“I’m very excited to announce my commitment to further my academic and swimming career at Harvard University. Thanks to my family, coaches, and teammates for helping me along the way. Go Crimson!”
His best times include:
- 100 breast – 54.62
- 200 breast – 1:59.54
- 200 fly – 1:51.05
- 200 IM – 1:50.99
- 400 IM – 3:55.34
Even with just under a year of club swimming to go before arriving on campus, Harron is already in scoring range at the conference level for the Crimson. He would’ve scored in the A-final of both breaststroke events as well as the B-final of the 400 IM at the 2019 Ivy League Championships.
WILL RAIDT
Photo Courtesy: Will Raidt
Swimming year-round with Academy Bullets Swim Club, Raidt has achieved four Summer Juniors cuts as a freestyler and backstroker. The River Forest, Ill. native had three top-15 finishes at Illinois LCM Seniors this past summer before going on to place 10th in the 200m free and 16th in the 100m free at NCSAs. At NCSAs in March, he registered six best times where his highest finish was a 12th-place showing in the 200 free.
A current senior at Oak Park & River Forest High School, Raidt is a four-time Illinois State Championship finalist. The NISCA and USA Swimming Scholastic All-American placed third in the 200 free and eighth in the 100 fly as a junior and sixth in the former event as well as seventh in the 100 back during his sophomore season.
He told Swimming World:
“Excited to officially announce my commitment to swim and study at Harvard! I couldn’t ask for a better place to be for the next 4 years. Thanks to my family, friends, coaches, teachers, and teammates! Go Crimson!”
His best times include:
- 100 back – 50.37
- 200 back – 1:48.98
- 100 free – 45.57
- 200 free – 1:37.97
Raidt will add valuable freestyle and backstroke depth to Harvard’s lineup next season and he could find himself as a contender for their 4×200 free relay. His best 200 free time is already fast enough to score in the B-final at last year’s conference meet while he’s just on the outskirts in his other top events.
If you have a commitment to share, please send a photo and quote via email to hs@swimmingworld.com.
J Mac Tolar
Bob Raidt
Congratulations gentlemen. Hipsaw!