Winter Juniors Champion Max Carlsen Verbally Commits to NC State for 2025-26

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High school junior Max Carlsen from Las Vegas, Nevada, has announced his intention to swim and study at North Carolina State University in the fall of 2025. He wrote on social media:

“Excited to announce my verbal commitment to NC State! Can’t wait to be a part of the Pack! 🐺”

Carlsen attends Palo Verde High School and swims year-round with Las Vegas Swim Club. He was Nevada 3A 5A state champion in the 200 free (1:41.07 / 1:39.87 altitude-adjusted) and 500 free (4:33.81 / 4:28.81 altitude-adjusted) at last spring’s NIAA 3A 5A State Championships.

We ranked him among the “Best of the Rest” distance freestylers in our Way Too Early list of top recruits from the high school class of 2025. At the time, his best 500/1000/1650 free times were 4:28/9:05/15:27. After Winter Juniors – West, where he won the 1650 free (from afternoon heats) and was 4th in the 500 free, he improved by 9 seconds in the 500 and by 28 seconds in the mile. He also swam the 200 free, 100 back, and 200 back and scored PBs in the backstrokes.

Last summer, Carlsen punched his ticket to 2024 Olympic Team Trials in the 400 free and 800 free. At Sacramento Futures, he was 7th in the 200 free (1:53.67), 3rd in the 400 free (3:55.87), 2nd in the 800 (8:09.05, OT), and 4th in the 1500 (15:46.50), with PBs in all four distances. He was also a B finalist in the 100 back (59.50). A week later, at Summer Junior Nationals, he lowered his 400 free time to 3:54.30 (OT).

Best SCY times:

• 1650 free – 14:59.44
• 1000 free – 9:05.55
• 500 free – 4:19.55
• 200 free – 1:39.99
• 100 back – 51.36
• 200 back – 1:52.25

Carlsen will join the Wolfpack in the fall of 2025 with Tyler Bardak, Aaron Davidson, and Gavin Keogh. His sub-15 mile time would have scored 7th at ACCs last year. He would have been NC State’s fifth top-8 finisher, along with #1 Will Gallant, #3 Ross Dant, #5 Owen Lloyd, #7 James Plage. He’s only 11 seconds off what it took to score in the mile at 2023 NCAAs (14:48.63).

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