Backstroke Star Daniel Diehl Commits to NC State for 2024-2025
One of the elite high-school-aged swimmers in the country has announced his college destination. Daniel Diehl, who represents the Cumberland YMCA in Maryland and was one of the youngest male championship finalists at last year’s U.S. International Team Trials, will head to NC State and swim for head coach Braden Holloway’s Wolfpack beginning in the fall of 2024.
Diehl announced his commitment in an Instagram post Tuesday evening. He wrote, “After my 4th visit to NC state, I’m proud to announce my verbal commitment. Thanks to my family, coach and everyone at NC state.” He was already in North Carolina for last week’s YMCA Short Course Nationals, where he won three individual events, and an ensuing drive east to Raleigh to visit the Wolfpack cemented his decision.
Diehl owns three U.S. National Age Group records, all in the 100 backstroke: 13-14 for short course yards (47.44), 15-16 for long course (53.27) and 17-18 for long course (53.07). He posted the 15-16 record in winning gold in the event at the Junior Pan Pacific Championships last year (he also won three relay gold medals at that meet), and then he nearly got under 53 with a win at the U.S. Open in December. While the 100-meter race has certainly been his premier race in the 50-meter pool, the only event in which Diehl has already posted a time worthy of scoring at this year’s NCAA Championships is the 200-yard back, where his best time of 1:39.62 would have put him atop the B-final.
Diehl’s Best Times, Short Course Yards:
- 50 Freestyle: 19.95
- 100 Freestyle: 43.31
- 200 Freestyle: 1:33.68
- 100 Backstroke: 46.01
- 200 Backstroke: 1:39.62
- 100 Butterfly: 47.27
- 200 IM: 1:43.01
Diehl’s Best Times, Long Course Meters:
- 50 Freestyle: 22.99
- 100 Freestyle: 49.71 (relay: 48.66).
- 200 Freestyle: 1:50.13
- 100 Backstroke: 53.07
- 200 Backstroke: 1:56.41
- 100 Butterfly: 53.03
- 200 Butterfly: 2:01.37
- 200 IM: 1:59.89
In 16 months, Diehl will join a college program that has become one of the country’s elite teams over the last decade, with six top-five finishes at the last seven NCAA Championships. The Wolfpack have produced particularly impressive backstroke and sprint specialists, including 2022 100 back winner Kacper Stokowski, and it would be no surprise if Diehl ends up joining those ranks.
