By Anya Pelshaw on SwimSwam
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Rachel Anderson has announced her commitment to continue her academic and athletic careers with SMU beginning this fall. Anderson arrives to pursue a masters degree after graduating from Loughborough University in Great Britain.
Anderson will spend a season with the SMU women’s program while pursuing a masters in sports management. She most recently competed at the AP London International where she finished 5th in the long course meters 100 backstroke in a 1:03.93.
At the start of April, she competed at Great Britain Olympic Trials. There she finished 12th in prelims in a time of a 1:02.77 before finishing 12th overall in a 1:03.14 in finals. In April 2023, she finished 5th in the 100 backstroke at British Trials in a 1:02.40, a time that stands as her personal best in the event.
Prior to arriving at Loughborough, Anderson represented Great Britain at numerous international meets. In 2019, she swam at World Juniors and had her highest finish in the 800 freestyle for 10th in a 8:48.68.
Anderson’s best LCM times with conversions are:
- 100 backstroke: 1:02.40 (55.13)
- 200 backstroke: 2:12.46 (1:57.17)
- 200 IM: 2:18.32 (2:01.72)
- 200 free: 2:01.76 (1:46.81)
The SMU women finished 2nd at the AAC Championships this past season but will move to the ACC for this upcoming fall. The team sent one diver to 2024 NCAAs.
Anderson is a huge addition to the team for the upcoming season. In addition to the team’s arrival in the ACC, the team has also lost many members of its roster from this past season due to cuts, transfers, and graduations.
Based on her best converted times, Anderson would have been the team’s fastest 200 freestyler by over a second this past season providing a boost at both the individual and relay level. She also would have been the team’s 2nd swimmer under the 2:00 mark in the 200 backstroke as Jimena Leal led the team this past season with a 1:55.19.
Anderson arrives this fall alongside high school recruits Teia Salvino from California and Summer Osborne who hails from New Zealand.
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Read the full story on SwimSwam: Loughborough’s Rachel Anderson Commits to SMU Women For Graduate Season