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Junior Nationals qualifier Maddie Bynum has announced her verbal commitment to swim and study at the University of Kentucky beginning in the fall of 2028, becoming the first publicized commit in the Wildcats’ class of 2032. She confirmed the news in an email to SwimSwam, writing:
I’m beyond excited to announce my verbal commitment to continue my academic and athletic career at the University of Kentucky!! This would not be possible without the endless support from my parents, family, friends, teammates, and coaches over the years. I’d also like to give a BIG thank you to the @ukswimdive coaches for giving me this incredible opportunity. Thank you as well to the swimmers for being so welcoming! I can’t wait to join the family! GO CATS!!!
A senior at Mills E. Godwin High School in Henrico, Virginia, Bynum has been a member of her school’s varsity swimming team since her freshman year. She also trains year-round with Nova of Virginia Aquatics, Inc, where she primarily specializes in sprint freestyle and butterfly.
Over the course of the 2025-26 season, Bynum dropped about a second in both the 100 and 200 free and the 100 and 200 fly, and more than half a second in the 50 free. She set her current 100 fly best of 54.39 at the Hanover Hawk Invite in December, then swam 1:48.52 in the 200 free and 2:01.27 in the 200 fly at the Virginia Senior Championships at the beginning of March. She wrapped up the season at the NCSA Spring Championships, where she posted lifetime bests of 23.50 in the 50 free and 50.09 in the 100 free, the latter earning her a spot in the ‘A’ final, where she placed seventh.
Over the summer, Bynum swam 26.59 in the 50 free, 57.37 in the 100 free and 2:04.19 in the 200 free, along with 27.62 in the 50 fly and 1:01.74 in the 100 fly, all in the long course meter (LCM) pool. Those times qualified her for Summer Junior Nationals, where she placed 29th in the 100 fly with her current PB, 33rd in the 50 fly (28.11), 51st in the 100 free (57.80) and 88th in the 50 free (27.04).
Top SCY Times:
- 50 Freestyle: 23.50
- 100 Freestyle: 50.09
- 200 Freestyle: 1:48.52
- 100 Butterfly: 54.39
- 200 Butterfly: 2:01.27
A Division I program, Kentucky competes in the Southeastern Conference, with the women’s team finishing 12th at the 2026 SEC Championships in February. Three athletes went on to compete at the NCAA Division I Women’s Championships, but they did not score any points in the team standings.
To score at the 2026 SEC Championships, swimmers needed times of 22.59 in the 50 free, 49.08 in the 100 free and 1:46.80 in the 200 free, along with 53.15 in the 100 fly and 1:59.67 in the 200 fly. Bynum currently sits outside those cutoffs, but she still has nearly two full seasons of training ahead before she lines up at her first conference meet.
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