NEW COMMIT: Lauren Soleo has verbally committed to swim for James Madison University beginning next fall. Soleo will make the move to Virginia from Cary, North Carolina. She swims for YMCA of the Triangle Area (YOTA) and is a senior at Panther Creek High School.
At last winter’s North Carolina 4A High School Championships Soleo finished ninth in the 200 free (1:53.33) and the 500 free (5:02.11). Those swims came two weeks after she finished third in the 200 free (1:56.11) and second in the 500 free (5:04.89) at the SWAC Conference Championships. As a sophomore at the state meet in 2016 Soleo was eighth in the 200 free (1:53.46) and ninth in the 500 free (4:59.49).
A USA Swimming Scholastic All-American, Soleo had her breakout meet at Winter Juniors her sophomore year. There, she dropped two seconds in the 200 free, six in the 500, and 21 in the 1650. Now, in the early fall of her senior year, her best SCY times stand at:
- 200 free: 1:52.06
- 500 free: 4:55.71
- 1000 free: 10:11.25
- 1650 free: 16:48.99
- 200 fly: 2:05.43
Soleo’s top LCM times include:
- 200 free: 2:06.82
- 400 free: 4:22.50
- 800 free: 9:00.97
- 1500 free: 17:23.85
- 200 fly: 2:24.06
This summer her efforts were highlighted by a victory in the 400 free at the Aquatica Summer Splash. At that meet she also touched second in the 800 and the 1500 and fifth in the 200 fly.
She told Swimming World,
“I chose JMU because everything about the campus and the team felt like home. I know that JMU is a place where I can succeed both in the pool and in the classroom, and I am excited for my next four years as a Duke!”
Soleo will be a huge addition to the Dukes. At last year’s CAA Championships Soleo would have finished third in the 1650 free with her best time. In the 500 she would have touched fifth. Her best 200 free would put Soleo in 14th and she would have been 12th in the 200 fly.
Soleo follows in the footsteps of former YOTA swimmer Maddie Massey who is a senior at James Madison this year. Massey has finished as high as third at the CAA Championships.
YAAAAYYYY, Lauren!!!!
Way to go!!!
Leah Mulvehill
Congrats Lauren! Beautiful school!