Alaura Arringdale’s high school journey didn’t follow a straight path — it was a balancing act of varsity sports and orchestras. Now, she’s taking her talents across the country to Randolph College.
The San Antonio native has committed to Randolph for the fall of 2025, bringing with her not only speed in the pool, but a versatility rarely seen in student-athletes at any level. Her resume? Swimming, tennis, water polo, and music — all pursued at varsity level.
And somehow, she made it look easy.
A Quiet Competitor with an Unmistakable Drive
Arringdale didn’t just show up — she competed.
During her time at Pieper High School, she became a regular on the varsity swim team and took the pool at Alamo Area Aquatic Association, a club known for sharpening elite swimmers in the Texas region. But swimming wasn’t her only language.
She excelled in tennis. Played water polo. And in between practices, she picked up her instrument and performed in two school orchestras. Some kids pick a lane. Alaura never needed to.
One of her coaches described her as “the type of athlete who never complains, never takes shortcuts, and never stops showing up.”
Her own take? “There wasn’t anything I didn’t love.”
Stats Don’t Tell the Whole Story — But Here They Are
Numbers never show the full picture. Still, Arringdale has built up a respectable record in short course yards swimming — and she’s still improving. Her time drops show the kind of consistent, dedicated training that coaches value.
Just this January, she swam a lifetime best in the 100 breaststroke at the UIL District 26-5A Championship with a 1:18.80, finishing 9th.
Is she breaking national records? No. But for Division III coaches, especially at smaller programs looking to develop young athletes, these times signal untapped potential. That 1:18.80 in the 100 breast? She’s already within range of becoming a top contributor at Randolph.
Randolph’s Swim Program: Room to Grow, and Stars to Watch
Randolph College isn’t a powerhouse in swimming — not yet.
The Division III school in Lynchburg, Virginia, closed out its most recent season ranked 8th out of 11 at the 2025 Old Dominion Athletic Conference (ODAC) Championship. With only nine women on the roster, depth has been a hurdle.
Still, sophomore standout Katelyn Spuchesi led the WildCats with five individual points. The bar to score at ODACs wasn’t astronomical — a 1:11.36 in the 100 breast and a 2:04.93 in the 200 free were enough to grab a second swim. That puts Arringdale right in the conversation as a future scorer.
This fall, she’ll be one of at least two newcomers to Randolph’s roster. Fellow 2025 recruit Rio Bucy, a freestyler from Virginia, will join her.
That incoming class may be small, but the potential ripple effect is already evident.
Athletics, Academics — and a Whole Lot of Music
Not many college athletes talk about balancing practice with orchestra rehearsals. Alaura Arringdale isn’t most athletes.
She’s planning to join Randolph’s orchestra on top of her swimming commitment. It’s not an afterthought for her — music has been as integral to her high school life as sports.
This dual dedication isn’t unusual for Division III athletes, but it’s rare to find someone so deeply involved in both worlds from day one. Friends describe her as someone who “functions best when she’s doing everything.”
Let’s be honest — most freshmen are still figuring out their schedules. Alaura’s likely to have hers color-coded and booked by the first week.
More Than a Commitment — A Statement of Balance
There’s something refreshingly old-school about Arringdale’s path. No NIL deals. No social media hype machine. Just a kid doing a lot of things well, because she loves them.
-
She never specialized too early.
-
She wasn’t burned out by age 16.
-
She didn’t need to chase a top-25 ranking to find a college that values her.
Instead, she found Randolph — a place where she can compete, create, and contribute in more ways than one.
“She’s exactly the type of student-athlete we want here,” a source at the college said. “She adds value in the water, but also to our campus culture.”
That’s a win that doesn’t always make headlines — but probably should.
