Carson High senior Brynn Russell smiles after signing her National Letter of Intent to swim at the University of Vermont. Russell helped set the school record in the 200-yard freestyle relay and is a part of the quickest 400-yard freestyle relay in the Class 5A North this season.
Photo by Carter Eckl.
The University of Vermont’s newest swimmer is Carson High’s Brynn Russell, who has committed to swim next season with the Catamounts.
Russell said she couldn’t be happier with her decision.
“It means so much. Swimming in college has been a dream of mine,” said Russell. “The team atmosphere seemed really amazing. They had my major, nursing, and they have a really great program there.”
Russell says she’s been in the water as long as she can remember. She was born into a bloodline of swimmers as her parents, Cassidy and Tim, swam at Auburn University.
“My parents swam in college and the stories they’ve told, I just am so excited to experience that,” Russell said.
The road to becoming a Division I swimmer has not always been smooth but Russell said she is ready to make the leap.
There isn’t really an offseason for her as club swimming transitions into the high school season before moving back to club.
“It’s been a journey, definitely some ups and downs. I’ve had the support of my coach Julie, and my parents, and it’s been really fun,” said Russell. “I’ve maintained my love of the sport and that’s all that matters to me.”
Russell felt that her experience with club swim is one of the reasons she’s able to advance to college.
Her focus of late has shifted from worrying about times to making sure she’s growing.
“I focused on times and I wasn’t having as much fun. These days it’s more around enjoying the sport and enjoying my teammates,” Russell said.
Russell is in the Carson High record books as one-fourth of the 200-yard freestyle relay team that set the school record last season (1:41.15).
This season, Russell – alongside her sister Larkin, Katarina Klatt and Alexandra Llamas-Cruz – holds the best time in the 5A North in the 400-yard freestyle.
She will join a Vermont team that competes in the American East Conference and is coming off a conference title in the 2023-24 season. The Catamounts went on to take 31st as a team at the CSCAA National Invitational, marking the program’s first appearance in the national event.