54.3 Breaststroker Henry Bethel (2021) Switches Verbal From Indiana To Auburn

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Henry Bethel, one of the top breaststrokers in the high school class of 2021, has changed his college commitment from Indiana to Auburn.

We reported on Bethel’s original commitment last October. But in an Instagram post, Bethel says he withdrew his commitment in February, and as of early March, had committed to swim at Auburn:

Bethel swims for Carpet Capital Aquatics Club and Dalton High School in Dalton, Georgia, where he’s the two-time Georgia 6A swimmer of the year. He’s one of the better 100 breaststrokers in his recruiting class (the current group of high school juniors), and also has a fast-rising 200 IM.

Bethel’s Top Times

• 100y breast: 54.31
• 200y breast: 2:04.80
• 200y IM: 1:47.00
• 200y free: 1:40.79

As of last spring, Bethel was just 1:50.2 in the 200 IM, so his drop to 1:47.0 has to be an exciting prospect for Auburn. He played football through his sophomore year of high school and is just starting to see his swimming rise. Bethel has also typically put up lifetime-best swims at NCSAs in the spring, so his times might have been primed to drop further had that meet not been canceled in the coronavirus pandemic.

He’s also put up relay splits of 20.4, 44.1 and 1:37.1 in freestyle, suggesting he could eventually be a college-level free relay contributor at his current improvement curve.

Bethel joins Fletcher Hayes, Grant Davis, Andrew Simmons, Jacques Rathle and Nate Stoffle in Auburn’s class of 2025. Stoffle recently ranked #19 in the nation in his recruiting class. Rathle was named an honorable mention, and Bethel listed as one of the top breaststrokers outside the ranked swimmers, giving Auburn a solid incoming class for head coach Gary Taylor.

Bethel is a third-generation Auburn student.

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