NEW COMMIT: Bellevue, Wash. native and U.S. Open qualifier Nathan Lee has announced his verbal commitment to the University of California, San Diego as a member of the Tritons’ Class of 2025.
He will join Ryan Kirton, Slava Gilszmer, Jackson Bernstein, Devin Esser, Ethan Hildesheim and Aidan Simpson in San Diego at the start of the 2021-22 season.
He told Swimming World:
“I am thrilled to announce my verbal commitment to swim and study at the University of California, San Diego! I would like to thank my coaches, friends and teammates for supporting and pushing me through this long journey. A special thanks to my parents for always being my number one fans. Go Tritons! ?♂️”
A versatile swimmer, Lee does his club swimming with Bellevue Club Swim Team and earned four best times at Juniors West in December before going on to post five top-5 finishes at Pacific Northwest Seniors. In summer 2019, he won the 200m IM and was the runner-up in the 200m back at Pacific Northwest LCM Seniors and raced three events at Junior Nationals.
His best times include:
- 200 IM – 1:50.40
- 400 IM – 3:57.01
- 50 back – 23.59
- 100 back – 50.28
- 200 back – 1:49.12
- 200 breast – 2:04.22
- 100 fly – 50.97
- 200 fly – 1:58.28
Also competing for Newport High School, Lee is a six-time Washington 4A State Championship finalist. He grabbed silver in the 100 back and bronze in the 200 IM as a junior while taking fifth and second, respectively, in those events during his sophomore season.
Lee will make a big impact when he arrives on campus in the fall of 2021 and will join a program that’s transitioning from DII to DI. He would’ve scored in the B-final of the 200/400 IM as well as the 100/200 back at the 2020 MPSF Championships
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