Aaron Shackell Heading to Texas to Continue College Swimming Career
He spent the first few months of his college career at Cal before returning home to prioritize training for the upcoming U.S. Olympic Trials. Now, Aaron Shackell will head to a new destination for the remainder of his college career. He announced on Instagram Sunday morning that he will be headed to the University of Texas.
Shackell set a national high school record of 1:32.85 in the 200-yard freestyle last year to lift Carmel High School to a high school team national championship, and he will not be the first swimmer from his school to make the trek south from Indiana to Austin. Previously, Drew Kibler and Kelly Pash have both become Longhorns and achieved extremely successful college careers.
Moreover, Kibler, one of only two Carmel alumni to qualify for a U.S. Olympic team, has spent the last year training under Bob Bowman, who became the new director of swimming and men’s head coach at Texas just days after guiding Arizona State to its first-ever NCAA team title.
Before he heads to join the Longhorns, Shackell will have a good chance at joining the Olympian ranks. At a Sectionals meet in Indianapolis in March, he swam a time of 1:46.35 to win the 200-meter free, a time which would have qualified in the top-six and allowed Shackell to claim a World Championships relay spot at last year’s U.S. Nationals. Shackell currently ranks 18th in the world in the event and third among Americans behind Luke Hobson and Kibler.
Shackell’s younger sister Alex is also a contender to qualify for the Paris Games, having helped the U.S. women to silver in the 800 free relay at last year’s Worlds. Alex is also a strong threat for an individual spot in the 200 butterfly. The Shackell siblings will race for Olympic berths at the U.S. Olympic Trials inside Lucas Oil Stadium, a short drive from their home in Carmel, next month.