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Holden Carter of Iowa has announced his verbal commitment to swim and study at Columbia University starting in the fall of 2024. Carter is currently a senior at Iowa City West High School and trains year-round with the Iowa Flyers Swim Club.
“I am beyond grateful to announce my verbal commitment to continue my athletic and academic career at Columbia University! I want to give a massive thanks to my family, teammates, and coaches for helping me on my journey! GO LIONS! 🦁”
Carter is an Iowa High School state record holder in the 200 medley relay. At the 2022 Iowa High School Boys’ State Championship, he swam the butterfly leg (22.02) as the only non-senior on Iowa City West’s team. At that same meet, he made two A finals appearances in his individual events, placing 5th in the 100 fly (50.12) and 8th in the 100 back (51.94), and contributed a 47.41 split to his school’s 400 free relay which placed 4th overall. Iowa City West ultimately finished 2nd to Waukee High School in the team standings.
A year later at the 2023 Championship, he improved on his times and placements in both events, moving up to 2nd in the 100 fly (48.66) and 4th in the 100 back (49.92). His best time in the 100 back (49.46) comes from the prelims of that same meet. He also dropped his team’s fastest split in the 400 free relay by over 1.5-seconds (46.47), helping his team to a 9th place finish to clear his flat start PB (47.44) by nearly a second. Iowa City West recorded an 8th place team finish.
Most recently, Carter competed at the Winter Junior – West meet, where he swam season bests in the 50 free (21.44), 100 back (51.06), and 100 fly (48.67).
Top SCY Times:
- 100 fly – 48.29
- 200 fly – 1:47.79
- 100 back – 49.46
- 200 back – 1:53.68
Carter will arrive at Columbia with Ivy League scoring times in the 100 fly, 200 fly, 100 back, and 200 back. At the 2023 Men’s Ivy League Championships, then-freshman Adam Wu was the Lions’ top performing swimmer, including a bronze-medal finish in the 200 fly. Carter will have two years of overlap with Wu as well as classmate Brian Lee, who placed 5th in the 100 fly.
Last year, Columbia’s men’s team placed 4th at the Ivy League Championship, their highest finish since 2019. The Lions haven’t won an Ivy League title since the 80s, when the trophy was still determined by dual meet records.
Carter joins Gian Santos, Ryan Makour, Jerry Yan, and Stephen Zhukov in Columbia’s class of 2028.
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