NEW COMMIT: Stanford University has received their fourth verbal commitment for the 2021-22 season and beyond from Virginia Beach, Va. native Samantha Tadder.
She will join Torri Huske and Meghan Lynch, as well as diver Lauren Burch, as a member of the Cardinal’s class of 2025.
She told Swimming World:
“I am extremely excited and humbled to announce my verbal commitment to swim and further my academic career at Stanford University! It has been my dream for as long as I can remember and I am so excited to join such an amazing team!! I am so thankful to my family, teammates, coaches, and God for helping me get to this point! I cannot wait for the next 4 years on the farm! Fear the Tree! #GoCard ”
An extremely versatile swimmer, Tadder swims year-round with Tide Swimming and owns a pair of Olympic Trials cuts with multiple Summer Nationals time standards. She most recently won five events at Virginia Seniors after finaling in three events at the U.S. Open.
Last summer, she earned gold in the 1500m free at Virginia LCM Seniors before going on to notch a best time in the 200 IM at Nationals. She also won the 400m IM at Junior Nationals where she also finished eighth in the 200m IM, ninth in the 200m breast, and 16th in the 100m breast.
Her best times include:
- 200 IM – 1:57.41
- 400 IM – 4:07.15
- 100 breast – 1:00.95
- 200 breast – 2:11.76
- 50 free – 23.06
- 100 free – 50.53
- 200 free – 1:48.52
- 500 free – 4:44.15
- 1000 free – 9:39.37
- 1650 free – 16:13.03
A rising senior at First Colonial High School, Tadder is a six-time Virginia State Championship finalist. The two-time USA Swimming Scholastic All-American won the 500 free and was the 200 IM runner-up as a junior at the 5A meet while winning both of those at the 6A meet during her sophomore season.
When she arrives on The Farm at the start of the 2021-22 season, Tadder will add depth to Stanford’s IM/breaststroke/freestyle training groups and is already at the NCAA qualifying level in the mile and 400 IM. Under head coach Greg Meehan, the Cardinal are coming off their fourth-straight Pac-12 title and are the three-time defending National Champions.
If you have a commitment to share, please send a photo and quote via email to hs@swimmingworld.com.
Congratulations! Go Tide!