Another major recruit in the high school class of 2013 has made her college decision, as Junior National Teamer Chelsea Chenault has committed to swim for Dave Salo and the USC Trojans for the next four years.
Chenault is a fantastic freestyler, and in fact her 1:44.12 from last year's East Bay championship meet is one of the fastest we've ever seen in high school competition. She also brings a 49.64 in the 100, and a 4:36.69 in the 500 from the same East Bay meet. That 500 time would have placed her 5th at last year's NCAA Championships.
Her 2011 sophomore season in the high school ranks wasn't her best, but she definitely turned things around as a junior. She's also a star in long course, having swum on the 2012 Jr. Pan Pacs roster that traveled to Hawaii. There, she won the 200 free (1:58.19) and was 2nd in the 400 free (4:08.38), both of which came at the end of a long summer of competition spanning from May's California State Championship meet.
Along with Jasmine Tosky, who is a freshman this year, she will form the nucleus of the future of this program. She will immediately step onto the 800 free relay, which could be NCAA title contenders in 2014, and should join the 400 free relay as well.
Chenault also has a 55.0 in the 100 fly, a 1:58 in the 200 fly, and a 2:01 200 IM.