Imagine the thrill of chasing a college swimming dream that could shape your entire future – but what if recruiting rules make it all feel like a high-stakes gamble? That's the exciting reality for young athletes like Sadie Buckley, who just locked in her spot at a powerhouse program. But here's where it gets controversial... As recruiting heats up, debates rage over whether early commitments give some kids an unfair edge. Stick around to dive into this latest news and see what you think.
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Meet Sadie Buckley (https://swimswam.com/tag/sadie-buckley/), a driven junior attending Fairfax High School in Fairfax, Virginia. She's thrilled to announce her verbal commitment— that's when a recruit verbally agrees to join a team without signing official paperwork yet—to swim competitively and pursue her studies at the University of Texas, kicking off in the 2027-28 academic year.
In her own words, Sadie shared her joy: “I am beyond excited to announce my commitment to continue my academic and athletic career at the University of Texas, Austin! I’d like to thank my family, Coach Pete, and teammates at NCAP for their endless support. A special thank you to Coach Carol, Coach Mitch, and the entire coaching staff at Texas. I am so grateful for this incredible opportunity and I can’t wait to be a Longhorn! HOOK EM!! 🧡🤘”
This isn't the Longhorns' first big catch for 2027; they've also secured a verbal pledge from #8 Daisy Collins (https://swimswam.com/texas-women-jump-into-class-of-2027-recruiting-with-verbal-commitment-from-8-daisy-collins/), setting the stage for an impressive incoming class.
Sadie trains year-round with the Nation’s Capital Swim Club, and she's ranked #3 on our Way Too Early list of top high school girls swimmers for the class of 2027 (https://swimswam.com/way-too-early-recruit-rankings-girls-high-school-class-of-2027/). She's got some seriously speedy times, including the second-fastest in the cohort for the 200 backstroke (1:51.99), 200 individual medley (1:56.45), and 400 individual medley (4:07.87). To put that in perspective, her performances in all three events would have earned her a spot at last year's NCAA Division I Women's Championships—a major tournament for college swimmers. Plus, she meets the qualifying standards for Summer Nationals in the 200 and 500 freestyles, and she's got Summer Juniors cuts in the 100 backstroke, 100 fly, and 200 fly.
Back in December 2024, when she was just 15 and a high school sophomore, Sadie conquered the 400 IM at U.S. Open with a time of 4:07.87, propelling her to #25 on the all-time list for 15-16-year-old girls in the U.S. She still has a full year to climb even higher in her age group. She also finished third in the 200 back (1:53.14) and 200 IM (1:58.65), setting personal bests in both, and achieved personal records in the 100 free (50.80) and 200 free (1:48.20) while leading NCAP relays.
Representing Fairfax High School at the 2025 VHSL Class 6 Championships, Sadie claimed state titles in the 500 free (4:49.11) and 200 IM (a personal best of 1:58.48 in prelims), showcasing her dominance at the high school level.
She continued her momentum by shaving time off personal bests in other events at the Potomac Valley Senior Short Course Championships, posting 1:05.17 in the 100 breaststroke, 2:18.21 in the 200 breaststroke, 54.96 in the 100 fly, and 1:59.37 in another event. She capped the short-course season at NCSA Spring Championships, where she triumphed in the 500 free (4:44.85), 200 IM (1:56.45), and 400 IM (4:10.52), finished second in the 200 back (1:51.99), and placed third in the 200 free (1:46.72) and sixth in the 200 fly (1:59.33). Notably, her times in the 200 and 500 freestyles, 200 back, 200 fly, and 200 IM were all new personal bests, boosting her to 21st place among 15-16-year-olds in both the 200 back and 200 IM.
Sadie's long-course season was equally stellar, culminating at Greensboro Futures with personal bests in the 200 free (2:02.81), 100 back (1:02.32), 100 fly (1:01.45), 200 IM (2:13.64), and 400 IM (4:45.21). For context, long-course means outdoor pools, while short-course is indoors—different distances and techniques can affect times.
Her top short-course times would have placed her in the 'A' finals for the 200 back and 400 IM, and the 'B' final for the 200 IM at the 2025 SEC Championships. To give you an idea of the competition, second-place swims in the 200 and 500 freestyles at that conference meet required times of 1:46.68 and 4:44.88, respectively—Sadie's marks are right in that elite ballpark.
Here are her best short-course yards (SCY) times for reference:
200 backstroke – 1:51.99
200 individual medley – 1:56.45
400 individual medley – 4:07.87
500 freestyle – 4:44.85
200 freestyle – 1:46.72
100 freestyle – 50.42
100 backstroke – 54.03
200 butterfly – 1:59.33
100 butterfly – 54.96
And this is the part most people miss... While Sadie's talent is undeniable, some argue that ranking recruits so early puts pressure on young teens and might overlook late bloomers. Is this fair, or does it just add excitement to the process? We'd love to hear your take.
If you've got a commitment story to share with us, shoot an email complete with a landscape photo and a quote to emailprotected.
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About Anne Lepesant
Anne Lepesant (https://swimswam.com/bio/anne-lepesant/) is the proud mom of four daughters, each of whom pursued swimming at the college level. Holding a bachelor's from Princeton—where she excelled as an all-Ivy tennis player—and an MBA from INSEAD, she spent years in the financial sector in both France and the U.S. Today, Anne is...
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What do you think—does early recruiting help or hinder young swimmers like Sadie? Share your opinions in the comments below, or weigh in on whether verbal commitments should carry more weight. Let's discuss!
