NEW COMMIT: The University of Louisville has added a new verbal commitment for the 2021-22 season and beyond from Fellbach, Germany native Kim Herkle.
She will join Madie Hall and Adry Kasemets as a member of the Cardinals’ class of 2025.
Regarding her commitment, she said:
“I am beyond happy, excited and proud to announce my verbal commitment to swim and study at the University of Louisville. L‘s up! Go cardinals ! ?? ??”
A talented breaststroker and IMer, Herkle represents Germany internationally and most recently earned bronze in the 200m breast at the Euro Meet in January where she also finished fifth in the 400m IM. She also registered four top-15 finishes at the Swim Cup Amsterdam in December.
Herkle advanced to the semifinals in both the 50m breast and 200m breast at the European Junior Championships last summer and swam on Germany’s fifth-place 4x100m medley relay. At the German National Championships in August, she placed third in the 200m breast, fourth in the 100m breast, and sixth in the 50m breast.
In LCM, her best times include:
- 50m breast – 32.41
- 100m breast – 1:09.81
- 200m breast – 2:27.66
- 200m IM – 2:17.60
- 400m IM – 4:57.64
In SCY, those times convert to:
- 50 breast – 28.42
- 100 breast – 1:01.43
- 200 breast – 2:11.12
- 200 IM – 2:00.67
- 400 IM – 4:20.73
When she arrives in Louisville in the fall of 2021, she’ll have one year of overlap with Kaylee Wheeler, who finished sixth in the 100 breast at the ACC Championships in both 2019 and 2020, as well as two years to train with Abby Hay, who was an ACC A-finalist in both IM events.
Herkle’s best times (converted to yards) would’ve scored in the B-final of the 100/200 breast as well as the C-final of the 200/400 IM at the 2020 ACC Championships. Under head coach Arthur Albiero, the Cardinals finished third at the conference meet this past season.
If you have a commitment to share, please send a photo and quote via email to hs@swimmingworld.com.