Swimming

Romanian National Jr. Teamer Rebecca Diaconescu Commits To Louisville (2024)

January 3, 2023

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World Junior Championships finalist Rebecca Diaconescu has announced her verbal commitment to the Louisville Cardinals for the fall of 2024.

Diaconescu resides in the United States, but represents Romania at the international level. Her mother, Lorena Diaconescu, was also a Romanian swimmer and competed at both the 1996 Atlanta Olympic Games and the 2000 Sydney Games. Similar to her daughter, she opted to compete collegiately in the U.S., but instead did so for UNLV. Her father, also a Romanian athlete, competed at the Sydney Olympics in the modern pentathlon event.

She currently attends Palo Verde High School, and swims year-round with Team Rebel Aquatics in Las Vegas, Nevada. She recently represented Romania at the 2022 World Junior Championships and 2022 European Junior Championships this summer.

“I am thrilled to announce my verbal commitment to continue my athletic and academic career at the Univeristy of Louisville! This would not be possible without the constant support from my family, teammates, and coaches, Lorena, Jim, and Vuk. Thank you to Coach Arthur, Coach Stephanie, and Coach Nick for the opportunity! GO CARDS!! ”

At the World Junior Championships in August, Diaconescu picked up two top 8 finishes in her individual events. She took 4th in the 50m back with a best time of 28.94, and 6th in the 100 back, posting a best time of 1:02.64 in semifinals. In addition to backstroke this summer, Diaconescu has also seen success in sprint to mid-distance freestyle.

Top SCY Times:

50 free – 22.31
100 free – 48.68
200 free – 1:47.15
500 free – 4:50.63
100 back – 53.69
200 back – 1:57.82

All of her best freestyle times (besides the 500) were done earlier this month at the 2022 Speedo Winter Junior Championship – West meet. She recorded her highest finishes in the 50 free and 100 free, where she took 2nd in both. She also placed 17th in the 200 free, 38th in the 500 (4:56.03), and 27th in the 100 back (54.99). Earlier in December, she also dropped over two seconds in her 100 back to clock a 53.69.

Louisville placed 3rd out of 12 teams at the 2022 ACC Championship. Her best time in the 100 free would have put her just inside the A-final at last year’s conference meet. She also would have qualified for the C-final in the 200 free, 100 back, and 200 back, while her 50 free would put her at the top of the B-final. The sprint freestyle events were strong for Louisville last season, as they scored 81 points in the 100 and 55 points in the 50.

Sprint freestyle continues to be a strong event group for the Cardinals this year, with senior Christina Regenauer leading the team in the 50 free this season with a 21.89, done at the Purdue Invitational in November. Junior Gabi Albiero follows her with a 21.90. Albiero holds the top time in the 100 free, at 47.49, while Regenauer has been as fast as 47.97 this year. Assuming Albiero doesn’t take a fifth year, both will be graduated by the time Diaconescu arrives in Louisville.

Diaconescu joins Texas natives Camille Murray and Amelia Bodenstab, Minnesota native Caroline Larsen, and Washington native Camden Doane in the Cardinals’ class of 2028. Bodenstab and Larsen both swim sprint freestyle, while Murray swims backstroke.

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