Backstroker Katie Buehler Opts To Remain In-State With South Carolina (2024)

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Katie Buehler has announced her verbal commitment to swim and study at the University of South Carolina, beginning next fall with the 2024-2025 season. Buehler’s decision keeps her in-state, as she moved to Lancaster, South Carolina earlier this year. 

Buehler currently attends Indian Land High School and trains year-round with Mecklenburg Swim Association under Sean Quinn. 

Buehler’s primary event focus is backstroke. She owns a Summer Junior Nationals qualifying time in the 100m back, as well as a Winter Juniors cut in the 200 back (LCM & SCY). She wrapped up her summer long course season at Juniors, where she recorded her best finish at 48th in the 100m back (1:04.43). 

Her summer was highlighted by her performance at the Team Greenville Splash & Dash Invite, where she logged personal bests in three of her events. She won both the 100m (1:03.73) and 200m backstroke (2:18.68), with her 200 marking a three second improvement from her previous best. She also cracked the one-minute barrier for the first time in the 100m free, where she stopped the clock at 59.86 for 3rd.

Top SCY Times:

• 50 back – 25.86
• 100 back – 55.19
• 200 back – 1:58.97

Under the direction of head coach Jeff Poppell, the Gamecocks finished 8th as a team at the 2023 SEC Championships. It took a 53.56 and 1:56.20 to advance out of prelims in the 100 and 200 back, respectively, putting Buehler a few seconds outside of scoring range in both. 

Tatiana Salcutan was the team’s top finisher this past year in the 200 backstroke, as she took 13th overall with a 1:54.39 in finals. In the 100, Bella Pantano led the way with a 16th-place finish with a final time of 52.95. Both Salcutan and Pantano will be graduated when Buehler arrives, however, she’ll overlap with Dylan Scholes and Amy Riordan, both of whom also advanced to finals in the backstroke events this past season.

Joining Buehler in South Carolina’s class of 2028 next fall is Grace Tuchi, Emma Reiser, Reagan Phillips, and Brooke Beede. 

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