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Laci Sterkenburg of Cumming, Georgia, a Futures qualifier in the backstrokes, is headed to the University of Utah in Salt Lake City. Sterkenburg, who swims for SwimAtlanta and attends West Forsyth High School, will join the Ute’s class of 2029.
In February, Sterkenberg competed at the Georgia 7A State Championships, where she hit a new personal best of 53.76 in the 100 free to win the B-final and place 11th overall. She additionally swam a 57.29 in the 100 back for 4th, and led off West Forsyth’s 200 medley relay in a 26.72. By totaling 30 individual points, she helped West Forsyth to a 5th place finish out of 38 teams.
Sterkenberg wrapped up her long course season at USA Futures Championships – Huntsville, where she time-trialed the 100 back to set a new personal best of 1:05.61 to break 1:06 for the first time in her career. She also swam the 100 free (1:01.69) and 200 back (2:28.20), placing 61st and 39th, respectively.
Best times:
- 50 back – 26.17
- 100 back – 56.37
- 200 back – 2:02.97
- 100 free – 53.76
This year marks Utah’s debut in the Big-12 Conference, as they were formerly in the Pac-12. In 2024, Utah finished 6th out of 8 teams; they were led primarily by their divers, who were their top 3 scorers at the Pac-12 Championships. While the Big-12 has seen the departure of the 12x defending champions, the Texas Longhorns, it took times of 56.57/2:01.93 in the 100/200 back to qualify for a second swim at the Big-12 Championships in 2024.
Compared to Utah’s 2023-2024 roster, Sterkenburg’s best times would have ranked 2nd, 4th, and 5th in the 50, 100, and 200 back, respectively, making her an immediate contributor for the Utes’ relays. Norah Hay, who led the Utes across all three backstrokes this past year, is a senior this year and will have graduated once Sterkenburg arrives on campus.
Other verbal commitments in Utah’s class of 2029 include Maela McKallip, another Georgia native, and Stephanie Oiesen of Texas. Both McKallip and Oiesen are sprint freestylers who will also be pivotal to Utah’s sprint relays.
As a SwimOutlet ambassador, Sterkenburg has totaled over 16 thousand followers on Instagram – a significant number for a non-Olympian coming out of high school. In the new world of NIL endorsements, that could have a big impact on her (and her program’s) marketability as she moves into college.
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