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Annabel Townsend, a rising senior at Enloe Magnet High School in Raleigh, North Carolina, has made a verbal commitment to the application process* at Princeton University for 2027-28. She will overlap two years with older brother, Alex Townsend, a member of the Tigers’ swimming and diving class of 2029.
“I am ecstatic to announce my verbal commitment to the admissions process at Princeton University! I would like to thank my coaches (especially Coach Silver), parents, Alex, Eliza, and my teammates and best friends for always supporting me. I would also like to thank Coach Abby for offering me this amazing opportunity. So excited, GO TIGERS!! 🐯🧡🖤”
In addition to swimming for her high school team, Townsend has been with the club team Marlins of Raleigh since 2015. Two years ago, she underwent back surgery and was out of the water for several months. She told SwimSwam, “I had major spinal surgery in the summer of 2024 and didn’t know if I’d even be able to resume competitive swim afterwards so am so grateful to be where I am now.”
She started swimming again in the fall of 2024, competing mostly in high school meets. At the 2025 NCHSAA 4A State Championships, the sophomore took on the 200/500 free and picked up a PB in the latter. A month later, she hit a slew of lifetime bests at the Best of the South meet, going 1:53.68 in the 200 free, 2:22.24 in the 200 breast, 2:06.27 in the 200 IM, and 4:29.07 in the 400 IM. The following weekend, at Tar Heel States, she lowered her 200 free to 1:53.52 and added PBs in the 1000 free (10:17.14), 100 back (58.36), 200 back (2:06.47), 100 fly (58.46), and 200 fly (2:11.16).
This year, at the NCHSAA 8A State Championships, Townsend placed 4th in the 100 back (55.84) and 8th in the 200 IM (2:04.41), improving her lifetime bests in both events. She also clocked PBs in the 50 back (26.47) and 100 free (52.76) leading off the 200 medley and 400 free relays. In March, she competed at NCSA Spring Championship, further lowering her times in the 200 free (1:51.53), 500 free (4:56.31), 1650 free (17:03.03), 200 back (1:58.01), 200 IM (2:03.93), and 400 IM (4:23.42).
Townsend plans to major in Neuroscience at Princeton. She will join the women’s class of 2031 with swimmers Nora McCarthy, Claire Cheung, Greta Myers, and Isabella Muir, and diver Mira Wiegman. Her best times would have scored in the ‘B’ final of the 200 back and the ‘C’ finals of the 100 back and 400 IM at the 2026 Ivy League Women’s Championships. She would have been on the ‘B/C’ bubble in the 200 IM.
Best SCY times:
- 50 back – 26.47
- 100 back – 55.69
- 200 back – 1:58.01
- 100 free – 52.72
- 200 free – 1:51.53
- 200 IM – 2:02.40
- 400 IM – 4:22.95
*Note: A verbal commitment between an Ivy League coach and a prospective student-athlete is not an offer of admission, as only the Admission Office has that authority. The coach can only commit his or her support in the admission process. Ivy League Admission Offices do not issue “Likely Letters” before October 1 of the prospective student-athlete’s senior year of high school. The Likely Letter, while issued after an initial read of the student’s application, is not an offer of admission to the university.
If you have a commitment to report, please send an email with a photo (landscape, or horizontal, looks best) and a quote to [email protected].
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