Just days before the start of her senior season, Glacier High School standout A.J. Popp announced the next stop in her swimming career.
Popp made a verbal commitment to the University of Northern Colorado, adding an NCAA Division I scholarship to an already impressive list of achievements. As a high school junior, Popp won her first state championship in the 200-yard freestyle and narrowly missed another in the 100 free. Two years earlier, Popp earned her first two medals at the state meet as a freshman, finishing in the top four in the 500 free and 200 individual medley.
Popp swims with the Kalispell Aquatic Team Swim (KATS) year-round and has been competing in regional and national meets for years. She was in action at the USA Swimming Futures Championships in Santa Clara, California in August and punctuated that event by finishing eighth in the 200 backstroke. She is the No. 2 ranked swimmer in Montana according to CollegeSwimming.com.
The high school swimming season began earlier this month and Popp started the year strong with wins in the 200-yard individual medley and 100 backstroke at the Kalispell Invitational on Dec. 1.