By Charlotte Wells on SwimSwam
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NCSA Championship finalist Claire Conklin has announced her commitment to swim for the University of Minnesota beginning in the fall of 2026.
“I am beyond excited to announce my verbal commitment to continue my academic and athletic careers at the University of Minnesota! I want to thank my family, coaches, and teammates for supporting me through this process. I would also like to thank Coach Stacy, Coach Zach, and the Minnesota coaching staff for giving me this amazing opportunity! GO GOPHERS!”
A senior at West Chicago Community High School in Illinois, Conklin competed for her school’s varsity swimming and diving team all four years. She currently trains year-round with RISE Aquatic Club, where she primarily specializes in free, fly and back.
Conklin competed at the 2026 NCSA Spring Championships in March, earning a second swim in two events. She placed 12th in the 50 back (25.54 – PB) and 19th in the 50 free (23.37). She also contested the 100 free (52.37), 100 back (56.68 – SB), 50 breast (30.51 – PB), 100 breast (1:06.35), 50 fly (25.83 – SB) and 100 fly (56.06 – PB).
While swimming for West Chicago, Conklin qualified for the IHSA (Illinois High School Association) Girls State Championship all four years in a row. Her top performances came at the 2025 iteration of the meet, where she placed 6th in the 50 free (23.37) and 10th in the 100 free (51.77).
Earlier in the season, Conklin turned in a series of strong performances at the 2025 IHSA Girls Sectional – Saint Charles North meet. She won the 50 free in 23.11, tying her lifetime best from 2023, and snagged the runner-up spot in the 100 free with a lifetime best time of 50.92.
Conklin still holds a handful of personal best times from previous seasons; she turned in a time of 1:53.32 in the 200 free at the 2024 Illinois Senior Championship and posted a time of 55.79 in the 100 back at the 2025 NCSA Spring Championship.
Best Times SCY
50 free – 23.11 100 free – 50.92 200 free – 1:53.32 100 back – 55.79 100 fly – 56.06A Division I program, Minnesota competes in the Big Ten Conference, with the women’s team placing 6th out of 14 teams at this past season’s conference championships. The Gophers sent six athletes to compete at the 2026 NCAA Division I Women’s Championships, where they placed 16th overall and saw one diver, Elna Widerstrom, earn a bronze medal in the 3-meter event.
To earn a second swim at the 2026 Big Ten Conference Championships, it took times of 22.54/49.24/1:47.41 in the 50/100/200 free, 54.05 in the 100 back and 53.24 in the 100 fly, putting Conklin outside the cutoff in each of her top events. Conklin should bring added depth to the Gophers next season, as she is poised to rank 6th in the 100 back, 7th in the 50 free and 100 free, 8th in the 100 fly and 10th in the 200 free, although that does not account for the other incoming freshmen.
Joining Conklin in the pool this fall will be Mia Thomas, Dana Fairbanks, Sara Reppucci, Emmy Meyer and Faith Lamah, who should all make for strong training partners over the next four years.
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