2020 PENNSYLVANIA HIGH SCHOOL 3A STATE CHAMPIONSHIPS
State College senior Matt Brownstead made history Wednesday night at the 2020 PIAA 3A State Championships. Brownstead, a University of Virginia commit, won the state title with a 19.24 in the 50 free. That was a lifetime best by 3 tenths and took down the former National Public High School Record set by Caeleb Dressel, a World, Olympic, and NCAA Champion. Dressel had set the record at a 19.29 as a senior at Clay High School in 2013.
Brownstead’s swim is now the overall National High School Record. The National Independent School Record was broken earlier this season by Pennington’s David Curtiss. At 2020 Easterns, Curtiss raced to a 19.42, erasing the former record held by Dressel’s club teammate Ryan Murphy of Bolles. Murphy is also now an NCAA, Olympic, and World Champion.
Brownstead’s individual performance tonight came shortly after the 200 medley relay. He anchored for State College with a 19.03 as they placed 5th. He then anchored the 200 free relay in a blistering 18.67 at the end of the session.
His time in the individual 50 is already 2 tenths faster than the UVA School Record, which stands at a 19.42 done by Ryan Baker at the 2020 ACC meet. Brownstead is now the 4th fastest swimmer in history in the 17-18 age group. He’s behind only Dressel, NCAA Champion Ryan Hoffer, and Worlds medalist Michael Andrew. A full recap of tonight’s PIAA events will be posted in a separate article.
ALL-TIME TOP 10: BOYS 17-18 50 FREE
| Place | Swimmer | Time |
| 1 | Caeleb Dressel | 18.67 |
| 2 | Ryan Hoffer | 18.71 |
| 3 | Michael Andrew | 18.88 |
| 4 | Matt Brownstead | 19.24 |
| 5 | Drew Kibler | 19.35 |
| 6 | Seth Stubblefield | 19.41 |
| 7 | David Curtiss | 19.42 |
| 8 | Tony Ervin | 19.43 |
| 8 | Gus Borges | 19.43 |
| 10 | Matt Grevers | 19.44 |
Race Video:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TStgJhdketM
Hi
Winning time at ACCs was 19.25…. so theoretically he would have won the ACC meet with this time.
ACCs were soft this year because a lot more people are going all in for NCAAs. If he’s this fast already I don’t see them resting him much for ACCs when the time comes. Kid will go off at NCAAs
The state guy did a 19.0 in prelims, and Vera was clearly not rested. I think the rest of the conference was pretty rested in that event. So let’s say 3rd at worst. Interesting thing about Brownstead is that he swims for a YMCA team and could have been aiming for Ynats to be his big shave and taper meet for the spring, meaning it is possible that he is not fully rested for this meet. Even if he is though, I am sure every wahoo fan out there is extremely excited.
He swims for Nittany Lion Aquatic Club. Only was YMCA for a year.
He just dropped a 43.29 for a new personal best in prelims of the 100 free. I think his ranking might go up a bit in this class when it’s all said and done.
Geez. Tony Ervin went 19.43 20 years ago as a 17-18 year old. That’s insane.
Borges did the same time 30 years ago…
Girls easterns was faster then states
t. salty eastern swimmer. go pay for catholic school somewhere else.
Boys is def faster. But don’t be butt hurt because the girls of easterns are the true Pa state champs
Okay, then don’t recruit and swim at PIAA states instead of Easterns to be called “state champs”
Top 5 moments of my life: Lasalle wins 2014 state team title and NO ONE on deck cheers or offers any congratulations.
Any video of the race?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TStgJhdketM
Crazy seeing Tony Ervin, Matt Grevers still on that list
I was thinking that about Gus Borges…I think he was 18 in ’90 or ’91
I thought Mike Cavic had the HS record at a 19 low back in the early 2000s. If so, shouldn’t he be on the Top 10 list?
Edit: It was a 19.69. Damn kids are getting fast.