World Championships finalist Alexander Noergaard from Denmark verbally committed to North Carolina State on Tuesday, he announced via Instagram. He will be a freshman in the fall of 2020. Noergaard finished eighth at the World Championships this summer in the 1500 at 15:20, but had the fourth fastest prelims time with a 14:47.75 as he broke the Danish record.
Noergaard, 19, has the fastest best time in the 1500 of any swimmer currently in college and if he can translate his long course success to short course yards, then he could be a future NCAA champion for the Wolfpack, who had plenty of success out of another Danish distance swimmer in Anton Ipsen, who won the 1650 NCAA title as a senior in 2018.
Noergaard has had international success in recent years, winning the silver at the 2018 European Juniors in the 1500 (15:10). He did not swim any other events at the World Championships but holds best times of 14:47/7:52/3:52 in long course in the three Olympic distance events. His best time of 14:47 puts him ahead of Florida sophomore Bobby Finke, who was a 14:48 in the summer of 2018, as the fastest man in the NCAA long course going into next season. Noergaard does not quite have a second event as strong as his 1500 but he was not able to swim a second event at Worlds, so he could be faster than what his times indicate. His 800 free best time was swum on the way out in his 1500 heat swim.
Alexander Noergaard’s Best Times (LCM)
- 400 free: 3:52.78
- 800 free: 7:52.60 (1500 split)
- 1500 free: 14:47.75 (Danish record)
- 400 IM: 4:31.82
Alexander Noergaard’s Best Times (SCM)
- 400 free: 3:47.51
- 800 free: 7:39.03
- 1500 free: 14:37.90
Although NC State has become known as a strong sprint program, the Wolfpack have had a solid distance program in recent years with the likes of Ipsen, Hannah Moore, Ross Dant and Eric Knowles. Dant is currently ranked ninth in Division I with his 14:53 at the NC State Invitational this past weekend and Hannah Moore’s sister Kate Moore is ranked sixth in the women’s 1650 currently this season.
Noergaard will be a freshman in the fall of 2020 when Dant will be a sophomore and Knowles will be a junior. He will also be joining James Plage and Conall Monahan on campus in Raleigh next fall.
NC State has an early candidate for the number one recruiting class for the fall of 2021 with Aiden Hayes, David Curtiss, Garrett Boone, Arsenio Bustos and Sam Hoover all committed to join the team in two years.
