Regan Smith and Alex Walsh are among 25 athletes that high school sports website MaxPreps named to its “Must-Know” female athletes in the class of 2020.
Smith, from Lakeville North High School in Minnesota, ranks sixth on the list. Walsh (Harpeth Hall in Tennessee) checks in at 18.
Smith is the world record-holder in the 100- and 200-meter backstroke. She won gold in the 200 back at the 2019 World Championships in Gwangju, South Korea, her finals time of 2:03.35 chopping more than a half-second off the world record held since 2012 by Missy Franklin. Smith led off the gold-winning 400 medley relay, her 100 back time of 57.57 seconds taking down Kathleen Baker’s world mark. The relay also set the world record.
Smith was named Swimming World’s Female World and American Swimmer of the Year in 2019. She has committed to swim at Stanford.
Alex Walsh. Photo Courtesy: Peter H. Bick
Walsh won three gold medals at the Pan American Games last summer, claiming the 200 back, 200 individual medley and swimming a leg on the victorious 800 freestyle relay. Among numerous national age-group records, Walsh also holds the national high school record in the 100 back. She has pledged her future to the University of Virginia.
MaxPreps’ “Must-Know” list comprises athletes from 15 states. Eleven sports are represented, led by six basketball players, including the No. 1 player in the ranking, UConn signee and Minnesota phenom Paige Bueckers.
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Doesn’t Phoebe Bacon hold the high school 100 back record?