NEW COMMIT: Elizabeth “Lizzie” Danforth of Richmond, Va. has verbally committed to Penn State and will join the Nittany Lions as a member of the class of 2024.
Danforth does her club swimming with NOVA of Virginia Aquatics and owns four Winter Juniors cuts with the U.S. Open standard in the 400m IM. She most recently competed at NCSAs where her highest finish was a 21st-place showing in the mile after recording a pair of best times at Virginia Seniors. She placed 16th in the 400 IM at Juniors East in December and took 14th in that event at Junior Nationals this past summer.
Also competing for Freeman High School, Danforth is a six-time Virginia 5A State Championship finalist and has earned USA Swimming Scholastic All-American honors. She finished third in the 500 free and fifth in the 200 free as a junior after placing third in the former event as well as sixth in the 200 IM during her sophomore season.
She told Swimming World:
“So grateful and excited to announce my verbal commitment to further my academic and swimming career at Penn State! Thank you so much to my family, teammates, and coaches for supporting me! I cannot wait to be a Nittany Lion! #WEARE”
Her best times include:
- 400 IM – 4:16.59
- 500 free – 4:54.61
- 1000 free – 10:02.89
- 1650 free – 17:00.14
- 200 back – 2:00.95
Danforth will make an immediate impact when she suits up for the Nittany Lions at the start of the 2020-21 season as she would’ve scored in the B-final of the 400 IM at the 2019 Big Ten Championships. She will also join Mary Brinker in State College next fall.
If you have a commitment to share, please send a photo and quote via email to hs@swimmingworld.com.
Penn State is lucky to have her!