THUNDER BAY – ThunderBolt Isabel Harri has committed to swim for Eastern Michigan University, a division 1 school, for the 2022-2023 season on a full swimming scholarship.
Harri was sought after by nine other U.S. schools, but decided on Eastern Michigan University for its new swimming facilities and its head swimming coach Derek Perkins.
“I am thrilled to have chosen EMU. Coach Derek Perkins and the whole team has been so welcoming and I am excited to train in the new facility. I look forward to starting a new chapter at EMU for my swimming career and continuing to push myself in the pool and in my classes,” said Harri.
Perkins is the ninth head women’s swimming coach at Eastern Michigan University. In his first season, he led the Eastern Michigan University Eagles to a third-place finish at the Mid-American Conference Championships.
Harri currently trains under Head Coach John McLeod for the ThunderBolt Swim Club, where she has been a competitive swimmer since age 7. She attended her first Canadian Junior Nationals at age 12 competing in a number of events, and her first Canadian Trials at the age of 14, competing in the 100-metre and 200-metre breaststroke events.
In the last meet before the pandemic, Harri swam the fastest 100-metre breaststroke time for 15-year-old girls in Canada for that season.
"Isabel's commitment to swimming at Eastern Michigan represents a continuation of the rich tradition of our swimmers continuing with the sport past high school," McLeod said. "Getting recruited as a Canadian with no competitions in the last 15 months is a testament to her hard training and devotion to the sport."
"While other American and even Canadian students were recruited with more current times, her times were just that good as a 15-year-old and the sky is the limit when she gets on deck in Ypsilanti, Michigan."
“The competitive swim environment, coaches and the academics make EMU a perfect fit for me," said Harri, who is set to be part of EMU's 2026 graduating class. "Thank you to all my friends, family and coaches who have helped me through the process. Go Eagles.”
