Kentucky State Champ Holden Smith De-Commits from Alabama, Verbals to Texas for 2022 After Gap Year

Photo Courtesy: Holden Smith Instagram (@holden.smith00)

NEW COMMIT: After originally committing to the University of Alabama, U.S. Open qualifier Holden Smith of Louisville, Ky. has changed his verbal pledge to the University of Texas.

Smith, who will take a gap year next year, plans on joining the Longhorns in the fall of 2022.

Regarding his decision, he said:

“I feel blessed and honored to announce my verbal commitment to further my academic and swimming goals at the University of Texas. I want to first thank God for giving me such a special opportunity. Also, I want to thank Coach Reese and Coach Collins for welcoming me into the Longhorn Family! HOOK EM!??”

Smith does his club swimming with Race Pace Club and finished seventh in the 100 fly at Juniors East in December and placed ninth in the 200m fly at the Des Moines TYR Pro Swim Series in March.

In 2019, he earned 100% best times at the Kentucky LCM Championships and placed ninth in the 100 fly at the Southern Premier Invitational.

His best times include:

50 free – 21.05
100 free – 45.27
200 free – 1:41.90
100 back – 48.91
100 fly – 47.84
200 fly – 1:48.81
200 IM – 1:47.62

At the end of the 2018-19 season, he ranked eighth in the nation for the 100 fly and ninth in the 200 IM for 15-year-old boys.

A current senior at Saint Xavier High School, Smith is already a six-time Kentucky State Championship finalist and has earned both NISCA and USA Swimming Scholastic All-American honors. An All-State honoree, he won both the 100 fly and the 200 IM as a junior while taking first and third, respectively, in those events during his sophomore season.

As a freshman, he placed ninth and fourth in those two events at the state meet. He also led his team to their 32nd-straight KHSAA team title last season en route to breaking the state record in the 4×50 medley relay.

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