Chase Kendall Sends Verbal to Cincinnati: From Winter Juniors to Big 12

In the US college recruiting cycle for fall 2027, young swimmer Chase Kendall has announced his verbal commitment to the University of Cincinnati swimming team, competing in the Big 12 Conference. This is a significant step for the 17-year-old Florida native, who impressed with his distance freestyle performances in the 2026-2026 season. Kendall, a senior at his high school and training with SwimRise Aquatics, qualified for Winter Juniors – East with a 1650-yard freestyle time of 15:37.60. His season included massive drops: over 20 seconds in the 1650, nearly 10 seconds in the 500, and about 4.5 seconds in the 200 free. At the Florida Senior Championships, he placed 4th in the 500 free (4:32.57 final, 4:29.79 prelims) and 4th in the 1650 free (15:38.06). He also showed versatility with a 4:01.02 in the 400 IM prelims. Cincinnati is a Division I Mid-Major program that placed 6th out of 7 teams at the 2026 Big 12 Championships. With Texas leaving the conference, opportunities are opening. Kendall's 500 and 1650 times are close to scoring thresholds, while his 200 free needs improvement. The verbal commitment is non-binding until the National Letter of Intent signing in November 2026 or April 2027. His choice reflects a strategic decision to secure immediate competition opportunities rather than sit on a Power 5 bench. With two seasons of college training before his first conference meet, Kendall is poised to be an immediate contributor and could elevate Cincinnati's program.