By Anne Lepesant on SwimSwam
Pleasanton, California’s Jonah Cooper has announced he plans to swim for The Ohio State University beginning in the fall of 2019.
“I am humbled and incredibly thankful to have verbally committed to swim and study medicine with THE Ohio State University! I am honored to have the opportunity to achieve my goals of becoming a nurse at a World Class cutting edge medical center, and train at a D1 school. My family has grown, and I will join my new brothers and sisters in the Fall of 2019. I was impressed with the improvement seen in every team member, and the great results achieved by their new coaching staff lead by Bill Dorenkott, Matt Bowe, Mike Hulme, Jordan Wolfrun and Bryon Tansel. This outstanding new coaching staff and team atmosphere, provide a very comfortable and thriving environment. The medical facility is world class and I cannot wait to be a Buckeye!”
Cooper won the 100 back at the California State High School Championships last May, in his sophomore season with Foothill High School. In doing so, he set the meet record with 47.34. A week prior he had won the 100 back with a PB of 46.96 at CIF-North Coast Section Championships. That was also a meet record, by 7/10. At the Section meet he won the 100 free in 44.38, also a best time, and just .28 off Maxime Rooney’s meet record.
Cooper swims club with Pleasanton Seahawks under Todd Tucker, his coach of the last 7 years. He won all 6 of his individual events (50/100/200 free, 100/200 back, and 100 fly) and contributed to PLS’s 3 winning relays at the 2017 CA/NV Sectionals in December. Over the course of his club and high school swimming career, Cooper has so far broken 180 records (NCS, CIF State, Pacific Swimming LSC, and Pleasanton Seahawks, combined) and he still has two high school seasons left. He ranked #1 in the nation last year in the 100y back in both the 16 and 17 single-age brackets.
He told SwimSwam: “Here are a couple of interesting facts about me. I just started growing last year, today I am 6’3 3/4 but I have a wing span of 7’2. I have a big swimming family, with 18 aunts & uncles, and 63 1st cousins. And I have mad basketball and football skills.”
Top SCY times:
- 50 back – 23.23
- 100 back – 46.96
- 200 back – 1:45.50
- 50 free – 20.50
- 100 free – 44.38
- 200 free – 1:37.11
- 100 fly – 48.66
- 200 fly – 1:51.43
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Read the full story on SwimSwam: CA Record-holder Jonah Cooper Verbally Commits to Ohio State Buckeyes