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Junior Nationals qualifier Janae Sanders has announced her verbal commitment to swim and study at the University of Pittsburgh beginning in the fall of 2027. She publicized the news on SwimCloud, writing:
I am so blessed to announce my verbal commitment to further both my academic and athletic career as a Division I swimmer at the University of Pittsburgh!! First I want to thank God for blessing me with the ability to play this sport and meet all the amazing people along the way that have helped shape me into the person I am. I thank my parents and family. I thank all my coaches old and new. I thank all the amazing people who show me so much love!! Without all of that, I would not have this opportunity. I want to give a big thank you to Coach Ian and Coach Austin for showing so much kindness and giving me this wonderful opportunity! I can’t wait for what lies ahead! H2P!
A senior at Newsome High School in Lithia, Florida, Sanders has been a member of her school’s varsity swimming team since her freshman year. She also trains year-round with Blue Wave Swimming, where she primarily specializes in sprint butterfly, sprint backstroke, and sprint freestyle.
Sanders is coming off a 2025-26 season in which she dropped more than half a second in the 100 fly (54.58) and a few tenths in the 50 free (23.57). Her best times in the other two events date back to earlier seasons: 55.81 in the 100 back at the FHSAA 4A Region 3 Championship in November 2023 and 51.31 in the 100 free at the Florida Senior Championship in March 2025. This season, she swam bests of 57.23 in the 100 back and 51.43 in the 100 free.
In high school competition, Sanders competed at the Florida High School Athletic Association (FHSAA) Class 4A State Championships in November, finishing runner-up in the 100 fly with her current PB of 54.58. She also led off Newsome’s bronze-medal 200 medley relay in 26.49, placed seventh in the 100 back (58.06), and anchored the seventh-place 400 free relay in 50.36.
A two-time Summer Junior Nationals qualifier and one-time Winter Juniors competitor, Sanders placed 12th in the 50 fly (27.36), 20th in the 100 fly (1:01.49), 88th in the 50 free (27.04), and 106th in the 100 free (58.77) at Junior Nationals (LCM) in July.
Top SCY Times:
- 100 Butterfly: 54.58
- 100 Backstroke: 55.81
- 50 Freestyle: 23.57
- 100 Freestyle: 51.31
A Division I program, Pittsburgh competes in the Atlantic Coast Conference, and its women’s team placed sixth out of 15 teams at the 2026 conference championships. Scoring at the meet required times of 22.51 in the 50 free, 48.91 in the 100 free, 52.61 in the 100 back, and 53.31 in the 100 fly. Sanders is a bit outside those cutoffs, but she still has two full seasons of training ahead before she even lines up at her first conference meet.
Sanders joins Aubrey Buchanan, Olivia George, Karina Miller, and Jayla Kuzak in committing to the Panthers’ class of 2031 so far.
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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