Jacob Molacek to Reboot His NCAA Career at NC State in 2017-18

Jacob Molacek of Greater Omaha Aquatics is ready for Chapter Two.

The versatile Nebraskan was on our top 20 list for the high school class of 2014, having broken a national age group record in the 100 breast. He then spent two seasons at Auburn University, earning All-American honors his freshman year. In June 2016 we wrote that he had left Auburn and was weighing his options. And now, after a great deal of thought, Molacek has announced his intention to join the North Carolina State University Wolfpack in 2017, after a year of training with Tom Beck and Greater Omaha Aquatics.

Molacek confided, “It feels great to have a second chance. I’ve had the pleasure of getting to know Coaches Braden, Todd, and Gary throughout this entire process and they are some of the most relatable and personable coaches I have met. This, coupled by their immense and ever-expanding swimming knowledge, I feel, was exactly what I was looking for. Zack Warner, a friend of mine who also transferred from Auburn, was huge in giving me the ability to learn more about STATE. With this whole process, the main things I was looking for were great personable coaches, a training philosophy that fits me, and most importantly an accepting and positive team atmosphere. STATE blew all those out of the water so the choice was pretty clear in that regard.

“I am also grateful for the opportunity to take this gap year. Tom and I have a fantastic relationship. We plan on using this year to rework some of my technical stroke flaws and overall get my speed back. He and my GOAL teammates have been able to make swimming fun again for me just over the course of this past summer which has been huge. Coach Braden and Coach Todd are hugely supportive of Tom and additionally want to work together in order to understand me as an athlete better. I think that is amazing and I know not many other coaches would be willing to do that. Tom has always been somewhat ‘sage-like’ to me and the fact that NC STATE wants to be inclusive of him shows a great of deal respect.

“Sometimes in life you strike out, but it’s up to you whether or not you choose to get back up to bat. I want to be able to contribute and come in fired up to make a STATEment with this great team. The staff has been tremendously supportive of my decision to take this year off, and they are very understanding of my previous situation. At this point, it’s all about moving forward!”

Molacek’s lifetime best SCY times are:

  • 50 free – 19.44 (freshman season)
  • 100 free – 42.85 (freshman season)
  • 200 free – 1:36.58 (senior year of high school)
  • 100 breaststroke – 52.45 (freshman season)
  • 200 IM – 1:43.71 (freshman season)

This summer he went best times in LCM in:

  • 50 free – 22.93
  • 100 free – 49.85
  • 100 fly – 55.29

Molacek has two year of eligibility remaining in his NCAA career. He will join a NC State team that is ascending rapidly, and could very well be a NCAA title contender in two years.

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Tyler Bowen
7 years ago

Jacob is a great teammate and he is such an inspiration to me as a swimmer. I hope he swims well at NC State. I know that GOAL has prepared him well on his quest to the 2020 Olympics and NCAA seasons! GO LEOPARD SHARKS

Omaha Fan
Reply to  Tyler Bowen
7 years ago

Still not as good as the Tate Twins, who swim for Duke and Northwestern.

Swimmom
7 years ago

I doubt Jacob is getting any money this year. Money is probably going to be based on his performance.

Happy Camper
Reply to  Swimmom
7 years ago

He is not swimming for them this year so why would he get money from them this year. Maybe he is using this year to establish residency as well as train. Residency would make him an even better bargain.

Admin
Reply to  Happy Camper
7 years ago

Happy Camper – as metnioned, Jacob will be at home training with GOAL in Omaha for the upcoming season.

Assistant
Reply to  Swimmom
7 years ago

Maybe money isn’t that important for him. I am sure Auburn paid a lot of money for him, but things didn’t work between them. Maybe he was looking for the right fit no matter what the money is.

Tom Beck
7 years ago

Congratulations Jacob on charting your path! Jacob’s work ethic, ability to adjust his technique habits very quickly, and his explosiveness and top-end speed give him such a bright future in this sport. He will put his heart and soul into it for his teammates and coaches. Keep having fun!

Whoknows
7 years ago

NC State : the place to get faster! Just learned Cullen Jones was a wolfpacker too! Wow. Congratulations Jacob and NC State!

Pvdh
7 years ago

That post from 2013…Ryan held “probably an honorable mention”….yea I’d say

Attila the Hunt
Reply to  Pvdh
7 years ago

https://swimswam.com/top-10-recruiting-rankings-in-boys-high-school-class-of-2014/

Although Braden got it right for the top two: Schooling and Dressel.
But for the #3,4,5 EEEKS!

y the hate
Reply to  Attila the Hunt
7 years ago

Ogren hasn’t been “EEEK”… He has been 3:40 in the 400IM. Silverthorn and Gornay yeah I can agree tho

Reid
Reply to  y the hate
7 years ago

Yeah I don’t think either of them has swum faster than those junior year times listed ever, and Gornay quit swimming.

Swammer
Reply to  y the hate
7 years ago

Silverthorn and Gornay have had slow starts to their college careers, but their accomplishments at the time warranted their rankings then.

Uberfan
Reply to  y the hate
7 years ago

Would have put Held in okubos spot

Swimmom
Reply to  Pvdh
7 years ago

Never know how someone is going to develop in a college program. Even the top recruits can level off, especially girls.

Attila the Hunt
7 years ago

Auburn seems to be toxic these days. Even the Australian Olympics swimteam who held staging camp there was a big fail in Rio.

G.I.N.A
Reply to  Attila the Hunt
7 years ago

I have not one idea in the world wny they went there. Its a long way from Brazil. SA is a difficult route from Australia but my logic would have been to get to Sth America proper asap. That would be Sydney to Buenos airies via a 3 hour stopover in Auckland for a leg stretch / decent meal.

Bht you have a good idea there – blame Auburn .Good thinking 99.

weirdo
Reply to  G.I.N.A
7 years ago

USA went to Atlanta for their camp and then directly to Rio. And they did quite well.

G.I.N.A
Reply to  weirdo
7 years ago

Useless reply. THE US team did not have to come from as far as Perth on the Indian ocean across one continent to a second to a 3rd . My point is why the need to go to no 2 continent as there are pools in Sth America. .

Say , if they landed at LA then they have considerable stringent immigration control & then a connecting flight to Auburn .I can’t imagine it is a common / simple conection . I went to Atlanta & had the choice of being via Chicago or one of the Colorado stops & Atlanta is a major hub .Then there was the $300,000 charter flight to Rio .

Imo I think they… Read more »

G.I.N.A
Reply to  G.I.N.A
7 years ago

LA – Boulder – Atlanta . US domestic airplanes & ports are not luxurious by world standards. HARD WORK & mucho TSA groping .

Uberfan
Reply to  G.I.N.A
7 years ago

Brett hawke is Australia’s homie

Swimswim
7 years ago

Great kid but a huge over thinker. Hope he figures it out because he has been his own problem for a while now.

ShawnT
7 years ago

Good choice and great kid! Congrats Jacob and NC State.

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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