Andrew Shackell (2025) Flips Verbal Commitment from Cal to Texas

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Carmel, Indiana’s Andrew Shackell, who announced his verbal pledge to Cal two days after that of his twin sister, Alex Shackell, has now flipped his commitment to Texas. His older brother, Aaron Shackell, announced his transfer to Texas in early May, a month after the appointment of new head coach Bob Bowman.

“I’m beyond excited to announce my verbal commitment to swim and study at the University of Texas. I want to take this opportunity to thank Coach Plumb and Coach Pfaff as well as Coach Bowman. HOOK ‘EM 🤘”

Like his siblings, both of whom made the U.S. Olympic team for Paris, Shackell swims for Carmel High School and Carmel Swim Club. As a junior at the Indiana High School State Swimming and Diving Championships, he placed 3rd in the 50 free (20.43) and 3rd in the 100 fly (48.26), narrowly missing his lifetime bests in the respective events. He achieved those times (20.27/47.68) at Winter Juniors East last December, where he finished 18th in the 50 free and 11th in the 100 fly. He also picked up new PBs in the 100 free (45.69), 200 free (1:39.32), and 200 fly (1:50.34). His best times in those events (45.49/1:38.82 in the freestyles and 1:49.99 in the fly) come from CSC’s Winter Invitational in January of this year.

All told, in the 9 months since he first committed to swimming in college, he has dropped 1.8 seconds in the 100 fly, 0.9 in the 200 fly, 1 in the 200 free, 1.1 in the 100 free, and 1 in the 50 free.

Best SCY times:

  • 100 fly – 47.68
  • 200 fly – 1:49.99
  • 200 free – 1:38.82
  • 100 free – 45.49
  • 50 free – 20.27

Shackell will join the Longhorns’ class of 2029 with Clem Camacho, Evan Conti, John Simmons, Michael Gorey, and Rafael Fente-Damers. Texas enters the SEC on July 1, 2024, after having dominated the Big 12 conference for 45 years (including championship titles for the last 28 years straight). It took 47.06/1:45.84 to get second swims in the 100/200 fly at SECs this past season, and 19.68/42.92/1:35.40 to score in the freestyle events.

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You
4 months ago

Max Goetsch from Naperville, IL is also committed to UT in the class of 2029.

Yellowstone
Reply to  You
4 months ago

That’s 7 in the HS class of 2025. That seems like a lot in view of possible limits to rosters.

This Guy
Reply to  Yellowstone
4 months ago

Yeah isn’t the SEC working on roster limits? With Diving that does put them right at the cap

Admin
Reply to  You
4 months ago

Thanks, we haven’t heard that one yet but will look into it.

SCoach
4 months ago

So many changes right now with coaches and commits, hard to keep track of who will be where! Will SwimSwam have a preview of the Class of 2026 soon? Will be interesting to watch as they are now being recruited…

4 months ago

So many commits to Texas. Does anyone get a decent scholarship? It’s as if you pay UT, to swim.

This Guy
Reply to  [email protected]
4 months ago

Having an all time great as a coach at a good school with a great swimming history does help spread those scholarships around a bit more.

Texan
Reply to  [email protected]
4 months ago

You pay UT to get a college education. If you swim, you probably get a partial scholarship that pays for tuition, or books. But a number of people have walked on over the years. Ed carried a big team and teams are limited to what, 9-10 scholarships. You don’t find many swimmers getting a full ride anywhere. That being said, while a college education isn’t cheap, tuition at UT is fairly reasonable for in state students, especially for the education you get.

Reply to  Texan
4 months ago

You typically don’t get much of a scholarship at UT. Plus since they are not from Texas they start off with out-of-state tuition. That translates to a higher cost.

TX swim fan
Reply to  [email protected]
3 months ago

Simmons is an in-state recruit

Nick
Reply to  [email protected]
4 months ago

Talented swimmers choose UT Austin mainly to further develop their swimming careers with Coach Bob. It has nothing to do with swimming scholarships

Entgegen
Reply to  [email protected]
4 months ago

With the House vs NCAA case I’m gonna guess everyone gets a full ride at Texas. As long as Texas wants to dish the money out which they’ve shown that they are for Bob.

Longhornfan
4 months ago

Great decision!!

Andrew
4 months ago

lol cal is a joke of a program that doesn’t swim remotely enough yards to develop anything over a 200 or 200s in meters

STE
Reply to  Andrew
4 months ago

Lol top 3 in the LCM 200 back rn

David
Reply to  Andrew
4 months ago

Yes they do..

Willswim
4 months ago

Still not Durden’s least favorite Andrew though.

Alexy's_my_baby
Reply to  Willswim
4 months ago

Tell the tea!

MIKE IN DALLAS
4 months ago

Since the day Bowman went to UT/Austin, I’ve cut back further and further on the timeline for Texas Men’s Swimming to return to Top Three rankings for NCAA championships. From 5 years, down to 3 years, and now, well maybe 1 more year — but hey, at this rate, with new recruits still coming for the fall, maybe Texas’s time is NOW.

1650 Onetrick
Reply to  MIKE IN DALLAS
4 months ago

For just top 3, I can see them get it next year for sure. For top 2, though, might be 2-3 more

Diehard
Reply to  MIKE IN DALLAS
4 months ago

This recruit isn’t going to do much to Help Texas climb the rankings, at least for 2-3 years! But I agree they will be moving up rankings….thanks to intl recruits.

bobthebuilderrocks
Reply to  Diehard
4 months ago

Do you know something the rest of us don’t?

Pseudo-Conscious Meatsack
Reply to  MIKE IN DALLAS
4 months ago

Calling it now
1. Texas
2. Indiana
3. Florida
4. Cal
5. NC state
6. ASU
7. Tennessee
8. Notre Dame
9. Stanford
10. Virginia Tech
19. Virginia (savage 7)

Horninco
Reply to  Pseudo-Conscious Meatsack
4 months ago

Would love that but hard to see that outcome

CavaDore
Reply to  Pseudo-Conscious Meatsack
4 months ago

Virginia will be top 10 next year

bobthebuilderrocks
Reply to  CavaDore
4 months ago

All the schools on that list are better than Virginia. That’s even missing Georgia, that will for sure be outscoring UVA. Orlando, Magahey, Koski, their 200 back army, etc.

Swimswam average commenter
4 months ago

In NBA Terms, Lebron makes the Lakers draft Bronny

This Guy
Reply to  Swimswam average commenter
4 months ago

Except Andrew is a legit recruit, Bronny was a charity case

Diehard
Reply to  This Guy
4 months ago

Not so sure about that

postgrad swimmer
Reply to  Diehard
4 months ago

How many high school kids have gone sub 1:50 in the 2 free this year? Andrew is going to be a big time swimmer

O_O
Reply to  postgrad swimmer
4 months ago

300+

This Guy
Reply to  Diehard
4 months ago

Bronny would not get a sniff at the draft if it weren’t for his dad. He is simply not NBA caliber. The minute his dad is out of the league he will be out of the league

Admin
Reply to  This Guy
4 months ago

Only about 20% of 2nd round picks work out.

There are worse reasons to use a 2nd round pick on a guy. Especially a 55th pick. He’s a willing defender – worst case you get a guy who’s going to challenge some guys in practice.

Paul
Reply to  Braden Keith
4 months ago

They’re gonna pay Bronny 1million for the year… Bron is taking a pay cut, so look at it like the Lakers are paying Bron 101 million instead of 100million…. No issues over here!

Entgegen
Reply to  Braden Keith
4 months ago

Only 2 other players in the draft have been drafted in the first two rounds with his college stats or lower. And they were all picked because they had frames to fill out. Project draft picks.

Bronny is undersized at 6’2” and filled out that frame at 210 lbs. He isn’t some skinny 6’10” guy.

Most 2nd round draft picks won’t pan out and become starters. Almost half don’t even make it past 1 year in the league. So yeah there’s no downside. But he wouldn’t have been drafted if he wasn’t Bronny.

Last edited 4 months ago by Entgegen

About Anne Lepesant

Anne Lepesant

Anne Lepesant is the mother of four daughters, all of whom swam in college. With an undergraduate degree from Princeton (where she was an all-Ivy tennis player) and an MBA from INSEAD, she worked for many years in the financial industry, both in France and the U.S. Anne is currently …

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