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Fitter and Faster Swim Camps is the proud sponsor of SwimSwam’s College Recruiting Channel and all commitment news. For many, swimming in college is a lifelong dream that is pursued with dedication and determination. Fitter and Faster is proud to honor these athletes and those who supported them on their journey. Junior Nationals qualifier Nathaniel Kern has announced his verbal commitment to swim and study at Boston University, becoming the first publicized commit in the university’s class of 2031. He posted the news on SwimCloud, writing: I’m thrilled to announce my verbal commitment to continue my academic and athletic career at Boston University! I’d like to thank God, my family, Coach Mo, Bill, and Frank, as well as Coach George for supporting me throughout the process! I’d also like to thank Coach James and Coach Stephen for this incredible opportunity. Go Terriers! 🐶 A rising senior at Kittatinny Regional High School in Newton, New Jersey, Kern trains and competes year-round with Scarlet Aquatics, where he primarily specializes in middle-distance freestyle and butterfly. He is coming off a 2025-26 season that saw him drop nearly five seconds in the 200 fly and 200 free, over two seconds in the 100 free, about a second and a half in the 100 fly, and just under a second in the 50 free. Kern set his current 200 fly PB of 1:48.70 at the NJ EEX Holiday Classic XXXVIII in December, but his two top meets of the season came in March at the NJS 11 & Over Gold Championships and Speedo Sectionals – Ithaca. He set a PB of 45.75 in the 100 free at the NJS meet, then went on to swim current PBs of 21.00, 1:39.76, and 50.19 in the 50 free, 200 free, and 100 fly at Sectionals. Outside the short course pool, Kern qualified for Summer Junior Nationals (LCM) across a variety of events this past summer. He placed 20th in the 200 fly (2:03.26), 25th in the 200 free (1:51.61 – PB), 33rd in the 100 fly (55.36 – PB), 79th in the 100 free (52.14 – PB), and 128th in the 50 free (24.43 – PB). Top SCY Times: - 50 Freestyle: 21.00 - 100 Freestyle: 45.75 - 200 Freestyle: 1:39.76 - 100 Butterfly: 50.19 - 200 Butterfly: 1:48.70 A Division I Mid-Major program, Boston University competes in the Patriot League, with the men’s team placing fourth out of 10 teams at the 2026 conference meet. Kern’s current lifetime best in the 200 fly would have made the ‘B’ final, and his 200 free would have advanced to the ‘C’ final at the meet. He’s also only about a tenth off scoring range in his other three top events, where times of 20.91, 45.64, and 50.01 were needed to score in the 50 free, 100 free, and 100 fly, respectively. With two full seasons of training still to go before he even lines up at his first conference meet, Kern is already projected to be an immediate contributor. If you have a commitment to report, please send an email with a photo (landscape, or horizontal, looks best) and a quote to [email protected]. About the Fitter and Faster Swim Tour Fitter & Faster Swim Camps feature the most innovative teaching platforms for competitive swimmers of all levels. Camps are produced year-round throughout the USA and Canada. All camps are led by elite swimmers and coaches. Visit fitterandfaster.com to find or request a swim camp near you. FFT SOCIAL Instagram – @fitterandfasterswimtour Facebook – @fitterandfastertour Twitter – @fitterandfaster FFT is a SwimSwam partner.