Jane Kavanagh Commits to Notre Dame Women's Swimming

Promising swimmer Jane Kavanagh, competing for Fanwood-Scotch Plains YMCA, has officially committed to compete for the University of Notre Dame women's swimming team starting in fall 2027. She is part of the class of 2031 and one of five newcomers, alongside Eleanor Geraghty, Meghan Bluethmann, Maris Williams and Sarah Paisley Owen. Kavanagh's most notable result came at the 2026 YMCA Short Course Nationals, where she finished runner-up in the 200-yard freestyle in 1:48.86. She also placed fourth in the 200-yard backstroke (1:58.36), fourth in the 200-yard individual medley (2:02.89) and tenth in the 100-yard freestyle (50.44). With four top-10 finishes at a national meet, she has shown rare versatility for a high-school age swimmer. Still, Kavanagh remains a fair distance from the scoring group at the ACC Championships. At Summer Juniors in a long-course pool, she placed 102nd in the 200-meter backstroke (2:25.64) and 130th in the 100-meter freestyle (59.30). Notre Dame finished 11th of 15 teams at the 2026 ACC Championships with 366 points, so the coaching staff needs more depth in freestyle and backstroke events. Becky Rentz, a senior teammate at Notre Dame, is a reference point. Rentz placed 19th in the 200-yard freestyle at the 2026 ACCs in 1:46.16, about 2.7 seconds faster than Kavanagh's best. That gap is not insurmountable if she keeps progressing over the next two years. On her personal page, Kavanagh said she chose Notre Dame for its academic environment and team-oriented swim program. She thanked coaches Mike Batore and Trevor Mankiewicz as well as her family for supporting her growth. With a busy schedule until 2027, Kavanagh will have chances to compete at national junior meets and improve her personal marks before entering the NCAA environment. Notre Dame believes in her potential, and the early commitment gives both sides a clear long-term plan.