By James Sutherland on SwimSwam
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The most dominant collegiate team in the nation, the University of Virginia women, are showing no signs of slowing down as they land a significant commitment in the girls’ high school class of 2026.
Roos Rottink, the #9 recruit in the class, announced her commitment to the Cavaliers on Instagram Tuesday.
The backstroke specialist trains out of the Memphis Thunder Aquatic Club and attends Houston High School in Germantown, Tennessee.
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Rottink, 16, is the second-fastest 200 backstroker in the class, having set a blistering PB of 1:55.26 at the Speedo Winter Junior Championships – East this past December. At that same meet, she also set lifetime bests in the 50 free (23.29) and 100 back (53.41), though in January, she brought her 100 back time down to 53.21 at the SCSL High School Championships.
Along with being a 53-mid/1:55.2 backstroker, Rottink has also been sub-54 in the 100 fly, setting a best time of 53.96 back in February 2023 at the Southeastern Short Course Championships.
She’s also a developing freestyler, owning lifetime bests of 50.13 in the 100 free and 1:48.10 in the 200 free to go along with her 23.2 50.
Rottink’s Best Times (SCY)
- 200 back: 1:55.26
- 100 back: 53.21
- 100 fly: 53.96
- 200 fly: 2:00.12
- 50 free: 23.29
- 100 free: 50.13
- 200 free: 1:48.10
- 200 IM: 2:03.63
This past long course season, Rottink qualified for the U.S. Olympic Trials after dropping a best time of 2:12.91 in the 200 back at the Pro Swim Series stop in San Antonio in April. At the NAC Summer Sizzler in June, she earned a second Trials cut in the 100 back, clocking 1:01.39, and also set bests in the 50 free (26.46), 200 free (2:04.38) and 100 fly (1:01.06).
At her first Olympic Trials, Rottink placed 39th in the 100 back and 42nd in the 200 back. She wrapped up the long course campaign by winning four individual titles at the Southeastern LC Championships in July, including setting a best time in the 50 back (29.51).
The Virginia women’s team has been a juggernaut since college swimming returned from the COVID pandemic, running the table with four straight NCAA Championship titles from 2021 until this past season. They’re favored to make it five straight this March.
When Rottink arrives in Charlottesville in the fall of 2026, a big chunk of the current roster will have graduated, though fellow elite backstrokers Claire Curzan, Tess Howley, Charlotte Wilson and Anna Moesch will still have some eligibility.
Rottink is Virginia’s second top-20 recruit landed in the high school class of 2026, joining #20 Alyssa Sagle, who is another backstroker with impressive best times (53.17/1:56.04).
If you have a commitment to report, please send an email with a photo (landscape, or horizontal, looks best) and a quote to Recruits@swimswam.com.
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