Irish Record-holder Evan Bailey Will Join Texas Longhorns in January 2026

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Evan Bailey, currently a student at the University of Limerick in Ireland, has announced his intention to join the University of Texas men’s swimming and diving team in January. He wrote on social media:

“I’ve committed to continue my academic and swimming career at the University of Texas. I am extremely grateful for this opportunity and want to thank all of the coaches, staff and my teammates from NCL and New Ross for landing me in this position. A special thanks to @coach_bowman , @erik_posegay and @coachmaida for making all of this possible. I will be starting in Texas in January 2026 and cannot wait to begin my time as a longhorn #hookem”

Bailey specializes mainly in the 100/200 free, giving him added value for Texas relays. While Daniel Wiffen holds the Irish national records in the 400/800/1500 free, it is Bailey who owns the LCM 200 free mark, having tied Jack McMillan’s 1:46.66 in heats at the 2025 World Aquatic Championships. Bailey finished 16th in the event in semi-finals. He also competed in the 100 free, placing 37th in heats with 49.52, led off the 4×200 free relay (1:47.02), and swam a leg (49.02) on the 4×100 free relay.

At the Irish Open Championships in April, he won both the 100 free (49.15) and 200 free (1:47.04), both of which were lifetime bests at the time.

Bailey will arrive in Austin at the same time as two-time World Championship medalist Ksawery Masiuk. The two will join a Texas training group that includes seniors Baylor Nelson and Alec Filipovic, juniors Rex Maurer and Camden Taylor, sophomores Cooper Lucas, Jacob Wimberly, and Garrett Gould, as well as freshmen Aiden Hammer and Rafael Fente-Damers.

Texas has a long history with middle-distance freestyle success. Longhorns have won 7 of the last 9 NCAA 200 free championships. NCAA record-holder Luke Hobson earned 3 consecutive victories from 2023-2025, Drew Kibler won in 2022, and Townley Haas tripled from 2016-2018.

In addition, Texas boasts 3 of the 10 fastest 200 free performers of all time:

Bailey’s best converted times would have scored in the ‘C’ final of the 100 free and the ‘B’ final of the 200 free at 2025 SEC Championships (it took 41.87/1:32.21 to make ‘A’ finals).

Best SCY times:

• 100 free – 49.15 (42.59)
• 200 free – 1:46.66 (1:33.20)

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