NEW COMMIT: The University of Notre Dame has jumped into the class of 2025 recruiting game and has picked up a verbal commitment from in-state standout Mary Cate Pruitt. The Granger, Ind. native will arrive on campus in the fall of 2021.
No stranger to Notre Dame’s program, Pruitt does her club swimming with Irish Aquatics and owns five U.S. Open standards. She capped off a successful long course season by finishing 13th in the 400m free at Junior Nationals this past summer where she also placed 21st in the 1500m free. Last winter, she recorded a pair of best times at Juniors East before going on to earn gold medals in the 1000 free and mile with four additional top-8 finishes at Indiana Seniors.
A current junior at South Bend Saint Joseph High School, Pruitt is a four-time Indiana State Championship finalist. She won the 500 free and took third in the 200 free during her sophomore season after racing to second and eight, respectively, in those events during her rookie campaign. She has also earned both NISCA and USA Swimming Scholastic All-American honors for her efforts.
She told Swimming World:
“My childhood dream has always been to swim at Notre Dame…and i’m EXTREMELY excited to say that dream has come true. I’m honored and humbled to announce my verbal commitment to swim and study at the University of Notre Dame! I’ve grown up admiring this team, and they have set the gold standard for what personal, athletic, and academic excellence looks like. Thank you to my family, friends, teammates, coaches and everyone else who have supported and believed in me! GO IRISH”
Her best times include:
- 200 free – 1:48.59
- 500 free – 4:49.42
- 1000 free – 10:02.44
- 1650 free – 16:48.05
- 200 fly – 2:01.65
Even with just under two years of club swimming still to go before suiting up for the Fighting Irish at the start of the 2021-22 season, Pruitt will add valuable freestyle depth to their lineup and she’ll join a training group led by Lindsay Stone and Sinead Eksteen. She would’ve placed in the C-final of the 200 free and 500 free as well as placed top-18 in the mile at the 2019 ACC Championships where Notre Dame finished fourth overall in the team standings.
If you have a commitment to share, please send a photo and quote via email to hs@swimmingworld.com.
