NC State’s leading scorer at the 2023 NCAA Championships, Kacper Stokowski, will return to Raleigh for his fifth and final year of collegiate eligibility next season.
“I’m excited to announce that I’ll be staying with Wolfpack for my 5th year in NCAA… we have unfinished work,” the 24-year-old Polish backstroke specialist told SwimSwam on Friday. “See you soon 🐺”
At last month’s NCAA Championships, Stokowski made three A-finals in the 100 back (2nd place), 200 back (6th place), and 100 fly (8th place), totaling a team-high 41 points for the Wolfpack. He continued his hot streak this month with a 53.74 in the 100-meter at Thursday’s Polish National Championships, tying Ksawery Masiuk for the title and equaling the Paris 2024 Olympic ‘A’ cut with a new personal best in the process. Stokowski added a runner-up finish behind Masiuk in the 50 back (25.28) on Friday.
“Feels amazing to be back in the groove!” Stokowski wrote on Instagram after Thursday’s 100 back final.
Stokowski won the NCAA title in the 100 back as a junior in 2022, building upon a runner-up finish in the event back in 2021 as a sophomore. NC State placed 5th as a team last season after finishing 4th in 2022. The Wolfpack have won the past two ACC titles.
A two-time European junior champion and former world junior record holder in the SCM 50 back and 100 back, Stokowski earned his first major international medal at the senior level last December at the 2022 Short Course World Championships, taking bronze in the 50 back. He began his NCAA career at the University of Florida before transferring in the summer of 2019.
Stokowski’s extended stay helps bridge the gap between the current group of NC State standouts and the next generation of stars. Although the Wolfpack won’t be getting fellow Polish backstroke specialist Ksawery Masiuk after the Paris 2024 Olympics as initially expected, they have pulled in huge commitments recently from top class of 2024 recruit Daniel Diehl along with No. 3 prospect Kaii Winkler.
Current NC State senior Ross Dant has yet to indicate whether he’ll return for a fifth year next season. Nyls Korstanje is ineligible for another season collegiately, but he’ll return to NC State next fall to train with the butterfly group in preparation for Short Course Worlds.
Maybe we’ll be treated to another sandbagged 100 Fly!!
NCST has a well oiled machine. I like seeing more than 2 teams getting/keeping high caliber swimmers/divers. NCAAs should be tighter and have solid league meets for more competitive atmosphere.
Pack fans have been saying this for years.
Even with the loaded core of Held, Ress, Vazioas, Molacek, Ipsen, Stewart, Bilis over a 6 ish year period, NCS could never muster up anything better than a 4th place finish
They really got to put an age cap on this
They do. 25 or 26 is the max age
Wasn’t grant house 25? The difference between a 25 year old and 18 is crazy
He really needs to move on. He isn’t good for the NCAA culture. I wish there was a way to tell him to leave
What do you mean he isn’t good for NCAA culture? His swims, celebrations, and style is electric. Swimming would be more fun if more people were like him.
What do you mean ? Is he too cocky? I’ve heard that
Fun fact, a 29-year old Bar Botzer is still playing for University of Virginia men’s tennis team as a grad student this Spring after starting his NCAA career at Wake Forest in 2017
OMG! This is glorious…like manna from heaven! I haven’t updated my NC State poem to include this year’s Olympic results, yet. But God bless Kacper, God bless the NC State Wolfpack and God Bless my friend, my mentor and my spiritual advisor, GOAT Coach Braden Halloway! Today is a happy day and I will celebrate with beer and Stromboli’s at Nicks tonight while wearing my Braden Halloway “Hall of Fame Coach” t-shirt. May all of my friends and detractors experience the joy I have at this moment for my Wolfpack!
👍🏽
Welcome back champ 🐺
what’s your opinion Andrew?
He only cares about Cal