Virginia Lands Commitment From No. 1 Swimmer, Olympic Medalist Katie Grimes

Matt Newton | 3 Hours Ago

Grace Hollars/IndyStar / USA TODAY NETWORK

Todd DeSorbo has done it again.

Making the most of the opportunity to coach the best American swimmers at the Paris Olympics, including a few who have yet to begin their collegiate careers, DeSorbo managed to reel in yet another world-class swimming recruit.

Katie Grimes, a two-time Olympian and the No. 1 overall recruit in the class of 2024, finally announced her college commitment on Thursday morning and appears to be headed to Charlottesville to join the four-time reigning NCAA Champion Virginia swimming & diving program.

In a somewhat cryptic social media post which will likely be followed by a lengthier announcement later, Grimes posed in a Virginia shirt while standing in front a classic orange Corvette Stingray with a caption that said only two words: "Hoo's ready".

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A native of Las Vegas, Nevada, Grimes has already put together a remarkable swimming career despite being just 18 years old. At 15 years of age, Grimes was the youngest member of Team USA at the Tokyo Olympics and just barely missed the podium with a fourth place finish in the 800-meter freestyle.

Grimes has since suited up for the United States at multiple World Championships and won a total of four World Championship medals. In her second trip to the Olympics this summer, Grimes came home with some hardware, winning silver in the 400-meter individual medley and also placing 10th in the 1500-meter freestyle. She impressively kept swimming after the pool events were done, competing in the 10km open water race and placing 15th.

Deservedly, Grimes is the No. 1 overall swimmer in the recruiting class of 2024. Although most of the swimmers in her class announced their commitments a year ago (or earlier) and are already on their respective college campuses, Grimes decided to focus on the Olympics and then took visits over the last month before coming to her decision.

Now, Grimes will join her Olympic head coach Todd DeSorbo as well as Olympic teammates Gretchen Walsh, Alex Walsh, and Emma Weber on a stacked Virginia roster that was a near-lock to win this year's title even before Grimes committed. Grimes will enroll at UVA in the spring semester, just in time to help the Cavaliers go for a fifth-consecutive NCAA Championship in 2025.

There's no telling what strokes Grimes will end up swimming at Virginia, as she excels at essentially everything. The Cavaliers will most appreciate her aptitude for distance events. According to SwimSwam, her best times in the 500-yard and 1650-yard freestyle events would have won the NCAA titles in those events last season, while her 400-yard individual medley time would have been second only to Alex Walsh.

While Virginia is losing some key pieces from last year's team in Ella Nelson, Jasmine Nocentini, and Abby Carter, the Hoos are returning the bulk of their point scorers from the 2024 championship roster in the Walsh sisters, Emma Weber, Aimee Canny, Maxine Parker, and others. They are also adding some remarkable newcomers in 2020 Olympian Claire Curzan, a Stanford transfer and former No. 1 overall recruit who redshirted last season, World Championship medalist Leah Hayes, and now Katie Grimes.

Virginia better make some more room at the Aquatic & Fitness Center for another banner.