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Carmel, Indiana’s Carson Szotek has opted to remain in the state and will head just a few miles south to swim at IU Indianapolis this upcoming fall season. IU Indy originally was IUPUI, but Indiana and Purdue University opted to split.
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Szotek, this past winter, was a part of Carmel’s tenth straight win at the IHSAA State Championship meet, the first team to do so in state history. The team compiled 409 points en route to victory and was aided by Szotek’s contributions in the 100 back. Szotek placed 6th in the final of the 100 back, in a time of 51.07, a mark that would have been his personal best had he not swam 50.56 in the prelims. Joining him in the final of the 100 back was Anderson Kopp, who placed 3rd in 49.04.
Earlier in the winter, Szotek was also part of a winning team as he was part of Carmel Swim Club’s third consecutive Winter Junior East Championships. At the meet, he swam personal best in all of his events, hitting a mark of 4:34.63 in the 500 free, 1:48.21 in the 200 back, and 1:49.74 in the 200 fly. He also swam a 51.09 in the 100 back, which was a PB at the time.
More recently, in long course, Szotek made the finals of two events at the Sectionals meet in Indianapolis this past March. In the 200 back, he placed 21st in a time of 2:08.38, and in the 200 fly, he placed 12th in a time of 2:06.03, after having earlier in the day swam a PB of 2:04.56.
Best Yards Times
- 500 Free – 4:34.63
- 100 Back – 50.56
- 200 Back – 1:48.21
- 200 Fly – 1:49.74
Szoteck will be joining an IU Indy program that finished 2nd in the Horizon League this past winter, a Division 1 Mid-Major Conference. There, under the leadership of head coach Damion Dennis, the then IUPUI Jags scored 808 points, less than 70 back of the champions, Oakland.
At the Conference meet, IUPUI was led by Spencer Jyawook, who won both the 50 free (19.66) and 100 fly (46.11), and by Logan Kelly, who topped the podium in the 100 breast (52.06) and 200 breast (1:54.39). In Szoteck’s best events, IUPUI’s Nathan Rariden was runner-up in the 500 free (4:24.25), Jack Gallob placed 3rd in the 100 back (47.95) and 4th in the 200 back (1:44.37). In the 200 fly, IUPUI’s top representative was also Gallob, who touched in 5th in a mark of 1:50.15, just ahead of teammate Isaac Wilson (1:50.57).
Looking at Szotek’s best times, he appears to immediately have the potential to be a scoring swimmer. His 200 fly best of 1:49.74 would have been 7th in the prelims, earning him an A-Final berth, while his 200 back and 500 free would have both been fastest enough to make their respective B-Finals.
Both Rariden and Gollob are listed as sophomores on the roster for this season and Wilson is listed as a junior so that Szotek will have two years overlap with all three of them.
Joining Szotek in Indianapolis this season are Hugo Artega, Anthony Braun, Zach Drotar, Max Gerke, William Gorman and Declan Taylor.
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Let’s go Carson!