Fitter and Faster Swim Camps takes pride in sponsoring SwimSwam’s College Recruiting Channel and all commitment news. The desire to swim in college is often a lifelong dream pursued with dedication and determination, and Fitter and Faster honors the athletes who achieve their goals, as well as those who support them along the way.
One athlete who recently made a verbal commitment change is Kate Hurst, the 2023 world junior champion in the 1500m free. Originally committed to Northwestern University in October 2022, she has now decided to attend the University of Texas in the fall of 2024. It should be noted that her initial commitment was made before Northwestern experienced significant changes in its coaching staff, with the departure of head coach Katie Robinson, associate head coach Andrew Hogdson, and assistant Kim Williams. The university then appointed Rachel Stratton-Millis as head coach, along with Margaret Howe and Jacob Shear as assistants.
Hurst’s decision to switch schools came after she was selected to the 2023-24 U.S. national team in the 1500 free. She expressed her gratitude to everyone who supported her during this process and thanked Coach Carroll and Coach Mitch for the opportunity to continue her athletic and academic career at the University of Texas.
SwimSwam’s ranking of Hurst’s high school class of 2024 initially placed her in the “Best of the Remaining” category. However, she had a productive summer on long distance courses, which led to her rise as one of the top swimmers in her class. At the 2023 World Junior Championships, Hurst won the 1500 free by a margin of almost nine seconds, with a time of 16:09.37. This time was significantly faster than her previous best time in the short course 1650 free, indicating the potential for further improvement in her yardage time.
In addition to her impressive performances, Hurst’s times in the mile and 800m free rank among the top nationally. She has the potential to be a dark horse candidate for the 2024 U.S. Olympic team in the 1500 free, a category that has been dominated by Katie Ledecky and Katie Grimes. Hurst’s progression in multiple events over the course of one season is notable, and her commitment to constantly improving is evident.
When she joins the University of Texas in the fall of 2024, Hurst will be joining a team with a strong group of notable female distance swimmers, including Jillian Cox and Erin Gemmell from the 2023 World Championship U.S. team, as well as 2020 Olympic silver medalist Erica Sullivan. She will also be one of the top recruits from Texas in her class, alongside Piper Enzi and Campbell Chase.
If Hurst had remained committed to Northwestern, she would have undoubtedly been one of the best swimmers in the history of the women’s team. As a world junior champion and member of the U.S. national team, her presence would have provided a significant boost to a team that has had limited success in recent years.
Kate Hurst hails from Hillsdale, New Jersey, and is a part of the Aquatic club in her area. Fitter and Faster Swim Camps are proud to partner with SwimSwam, and their camps provide an innovative educational platform for competitive swimmers of all levels. These camps, led by elite swimmers and coaches, are held year-round in the United States and Canada. To discover or request a swim camp in your area, visit fitterandfaster.com.
By teaming up with SwimSwam, Fitter and Faster Swim Camps aim to support and celebrate the achievements of swimmers like Kate Hurst, who demonstrate dedication and excellence in their sport.