Summer Juniors Finalist Jackson Kroh Commits to UC-Santa Barbara for 2027

In the final of the 200-meter butterfly at Summer Juniors, Jackson Kroh did not touch the wall with a lifetime best. He went 2:03.66 and placed 15th, but that finish tells only part of the story. Kroh, a Charlotte, North Carolina native who swims for SwimMAC Carolina, has announced his commitment to the University of California, Santa Barbara for the fall of 2027. He will join a recruiting class that includes Jack Miceli, Pablo Ingrum, Holden Campos and John Luisetti. At Summer Juniors, Kroh recorded best times of 2:02.50 in the 200 butterfly and 54.76 in the 100 butterfly. He also posted a 1:47.25 in the 200 butterfly at Spring Sectionals in Cary. The UCSB men's team finished fourth at the 2026 Big West Championships with 568 points. Kroh should help as a multi-stroke weapon, but caution is needed when comparing long-course times to short-course conference standards. NCAA swimming is raced in short course yards, and his potential as an instant scorer should be measured with that conversion in mind. With proper specialization in the 200 butterfly, Kroh has a realistic path to becoming a reliable Big West scorer by his second year.