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Michigan high school state champion Owen Stevens has verbally committed to the University of Louisville as a member of the high school class of 2025. A native of Zeeland, Michigan on the state’s hotbed west coast, Stevens represents the kickstart of the next generation of Louisville’s headlining men’s middle-distance group.
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Stevens was named to the Michigan Interscholastic Swim Coaches Association (MISCA) Dream Team with the fastest 500 freestyle from across Michigan’s divisions during the high school season.
He won Michigan Division 1 (big school) state titles in the 200 IM (1:49.68) and 500 free (4:27.48) in March, successfully defending his titles in both events. He said that he felt more pressure in his junior year, coming in as the defending champion, but that he was happy with his results at that meet (moreso the 500 free than the 200 IM).
Best Times in Yards:
- 100 free – 46.20
- 200 free – 1:39.25
- 500 free – 4:27.48
- 100 breast – 56.53
- 200 back – 1:46.17
- 200 IM – 1:49.44
- 400 IM – 3:55.91
A true middle-distance swimmer, he doesn’t really stretch much beyond the 500 and may wind up projecting as an IM’er at the college level, though his high school focus has been on freestyle events.
Stevens, who is 6’2″ tall, has had a good kickoff to his long course season as well. At the 18 & Under Spring Cup in Elkhart, Indiana last week, he finished 2nd in the 200 free in 1:55.80, knocking six-tenths off his previous best time.
The Louisville men’s middle distance group last season was led by junior Murilo Sartori, who finished 8th at the NCAA Championships in the event and had a season-best of 1:31.42. More recently, he won the Brazilian National Championship in the 200 free at the country’s Olympic Trials.
The Louisville men are in need of some rebuilding of their depth after a 15th-place finish at the NCAA Championships and 4th-place finish at ACCs, but their middle distance group has remained strong – including a 7th-place finish in the 800 free relay at the NCAA Championships. Of that group, though, only Guy Brooks (1:32.00) is projected to still be on the varsity squad when Stevens arrives.
With Louisville having only three individual scorers at last year’s NCAA Championship meet (two rising seniors, one is out of eligibility), there is a lot riding on their classes of 2024 and 2025 – which on paper are very strong classes.
In the boys’ class of 2024, the Cardinals bring in Jake Eccleston, Gregg Enoch, Rian Graham, Thomas Powers-Hammond, Aiden Musso, and Gavin Sheyda, a group that includes state champions from a number of states around the country.
The class of 2025 isn’t quite as deep, but with Stevens, Nate Thomas, Ryan Henderson, Ryder Hicks, and a recent commitment from World Junior Championship finalist Szymon Misiak, they should at least help continue to fill out the Cardinals’ depth. with Cal and Stanford coming next season, depth becomes even more important at the conference level in what was already one of the deepest conferences in the country.
Stevens swims for Zeeland High School and West Michigan Swimmers.
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Nice pickup for Louisville, in more ways than one.
Good swimmer AND two very recent former Louisville staff members are now on the Michigan staff … and yet this young man still chose Louisville. That says a lot about Louisville.
Congrats, Owen!
Very common for athletes to travel out-of-state for school. Not much depth in KY swimming, so got to go get talent elsewhere to build rosters. Michigan’s depth in his events may not indicate a huge need within his class, but look at you trying to make noise. Go Bluuu!
There’s also a Michigan to Louisville pipeline that started back with Mallory Comerford. There are 4 swimmers on the Louisville roster right now from Michigan