By Anne Lepesant on SwimSwam
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Leila Stafford from Tucson, Arizona, has announced her verbal commitment to the University of Michigan for 2027-28. She wrote to SwimSwam, “The University of Michigan felt like home. I had a great connection with all the coaches and swimmers, and I’m excited to start my collegiate swimming career as a Wolverine. Go Blue!”
Stafford swims for her school, Catalina Foothills High School, and for the club team Flying Fish Arizona Swim Team. Last fall, at the Arizona High School Division II State Championships, she won the 200 free and 500 free state titles with PBs of 1:51.86 and 4:56.60. Her 500 time was an improvement from her previous best by nearly 10 seconds. She also led off the 400 free relay in a lifetime-best 51.83. She improved on all three of those times at Winter Juniors West, going 51.82/1:51.18/4:55.90, and she split a 1:49.68 leg on the 4×200 free relay.
At Four Corners Sectionals in Austin, Stafford placed 5th in both the 200 and 500 free and 15th in the 100 free. She left the meet with new times in the 200 free (1:48.42) and 500 free (4:49.85) and split 1:48.01 on the 800 free relay.
Stafford had an even more impressive long-course season, dropping .3 in the 50 free (27.14), .5 in the 100 free (57.54), 2.6 in the 200 free (2:02.16), 9.3 in the 400 free (4:16.31), 9.9 in the 800 free (8:45.82), and 2.5 in the 100 fly (1:03.24). She won the 400 free and was runner-up in the 200/800 free at Mt. Hood Sectionals, where she also placed 6th in the 100 free, 7th in the 50 free, and 17th in the 100 fly. At Summer Junior Nationals, she placed 6th in the 400 free, 9th in the 800 free, and and 10th in the 200 free.
So far this fall, she has already lowered her SCY times in the 50/100/500 free, 50 back, 50 breast, 50/100 fly, and 200 IM.
Best SCY times:
500 free – 4:49.23 200 free – 1:48.42 100 free – 51.41 100 fly – 56.98Stafford has been on a rapid improvement curve over the last year. She still has almost 2 years to improve before she heads to Ann Arbor, and already her times are not far off what it took to score at the 2025 Big Ten Women’s Championships: 4:46.00/1:47.11/49.60 in the free and 53.45 in the fly.
“Words can’t describe how excited and honored I am to announce my verbal commitment to continue my academic and athletic career at the University of Michigan! I would like to thank everyone who has helped and supported me through this whole process especially my coaches at FAST Rick Laing, Tori Gutt, and Matt Brauer for your endless amounts of support and helping me get this far. I want to thank my family for all the love, sacrifices, and support. I would like to thank my teammates for always pushing me and making my swimming experience so special. Finally I would like to thank Coach Matt, Coach Gunnar, Coach Bryon, and all the coaches at The University of Michigan for giving me this incredible opportunity. I can’t wait for what is to come. GO BLUE!!”
Stafford will join the #7 diver in the class, Shannon Waldron, and Khanh Seaton in the Michigan class of 2031.
If you have a commitment to report, please send an email with a photo (landscape, or horizontal, looks best) and a quote to [email protected].
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