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Rebecca Pickert has announced her verbal commitment to swim and study at the University of Kansas, beginning with the 2025-2026 season next fall. Pickert’s decision keeps her close to home with her current high school, Saint James Academy, located less than half an hour from her future school. Pickert will be a 5th generation Jayhawk, but is the first of her family to swim for the school.

“I chose KU for the wonderful coaches and positive team environment. Rock Chalk Jayhawk!”

Pickert, who trains year-round with Ad Astra Aquatics, is a distance freestyle specialist. Her top event is the 1650, which she owns a Winter Junior Nationals qualifying time in. Pickert recorded her fastest 1650 time at the Tiger Invite this winter, where she dropped over five seconds for a 16:58.37.

Last summer, the 1500m was also Pickert’s highest placing event at the NCSA Championships. She stopped the clock at 17:59.03, good for 19th overall. She also secured a top-20 finish in the 800m (9:28.15), and took 21st in the 200m fly in a best time of 2:20.37.

In 2023, Pickert represented her high school at the Kansas High School State Championships (1-5A). She captured the state title in the 100 fly and 500 free, hitting times of 56.19 and 5:04.58, respectively. That time still stands as her personal best in the 100 fly, while her 500 has been recently lowered to 5:01.80 this spring.

Top SCY Times

• 500 free – 5:01.80
• 1000 free – 10:12.30
• 1650 free – 16:58.37
• 100 back – 56.71
• 100 fly – 56.19
• 200 fly – 2:03.10

The Jayhawks earned 7th out of 8 teams at the 2024 Big 12 Championships this spring. The conference will look very different by the time Pickert arrives, as Texas will have departed for the SEC while Arizona, Arizona State, and Utah will have joined. 

Pickert’s current best time would have made her the team’s fastest 1650 swimmer this past season by nearly ten seconds. Gracyn O’Mara led the way this year with a season best of 17:07.57. 

With her commitment, Pickert joins Sammy Cummins, Ivy Solt, Aubrey Tuthill, Maddie Wagner, and Hannah Green in Kansas’ class of 2029. Tuthill is also a distance specialist with a personal best of 16:51.79 in the 1650.

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