By Anne Lepesant on SwimSwam
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Sam Marsteiner from Raleigh, North Carolina, has opted to remain in town, giving his verbal commitment to North Carolina State University for the 2026-27 school year and beyond. He will join his brother, Matt Marsteiner, who is currently a freshman on the Wolfpack’s swimming and diving roster.
“I’m proud to announce my verbal commitment to swim and study at NC State. I’d like to thank the NC State coaching staff for giving me this amazing opportunity. I also want to thank Matt, my parents, my teammates, and coaches for supporting me throughout my swimming journey. GO PACK!”
A junior at Crossroads Flex High School in Cary, he swims year-round with New Wave Swim Team. We ranked him #7 on our Way Too Early list of top recruits from the high school class of 2026.
Marsteiner is the fastest 200 butterflyer in the class and he is one of the top mid-distance/ distance freestylers, as well. He had an outstanding meet at the 2023 Winter Juniors East where, having just turned 16 years old, he clocked lifetime bests in the 500 free, 1650 free, 100 fly, and 200 fly. He placed 12th in the 500, 9th in the 1650, and 5th in the 200 fly. He was 41st in prelims of the 100 fly. Two months later, he added PBs in the 100 free (46.07), 1000 free (9:10.47), and 200 back (1:49.38) at the North Carolina LSC Short Course Senior Championships. There, he won the state title in the 200 fly with 1:45.72, only half a second off his best time. In March, he competed at NCSA Spring Championships, placing top 8 in the 400 free, 800 free, and 200 fly. He came away from the meet with a new PB in the 200 free (1:38.98) in prelims.
Marsteiner qualified for the 2024 Olympic Team Trials in the 200 fly at SwimMAC’s Martha McKee Charlotte Open, going 2:00.04 to come in 2nd. He also earned a PB in the 200 free (1:53.21). At Trials, he broke 2:01 for the second time but was just off his time with 2:00.79 for 38th place. He wrapped up the summer with Winter U.S. Open times in the 200/400/800/1500 fee and 100 fly and Winter Juniors cuts in the 50/100 free.
Marsteiner is NC State’s first verbal commitment to the class of 2030. He’ll overlap two years with his brother and three with class of 2025 commits Max Carlsen, Gavin Keogh, Ian Stutts, Aaron Davidson, and Tyler Bardak. Carlsen, in particular, will make an excellent training partner, with times of 14:59.44/4:18.87/1:37.06 in the 1650/500/200 freestyle events.
NC State men won their 3rd consecutive ACC title in 2024, dominating with 1499.5 points, ahead of Notre Dame (1038.5, Virginia Tech (960.5), and Louisville (885.5). This season, the competition will ramp up with the addition of Cal and Stanford, but at the 2024 conference meet, Marsteiner would have placed in the top 16 in the mile and the 500 free.
Best SCY times:
- 200 fly – 1:45.29 (best in class)
- 100 fly – 49.26
- 1650 free – 15:16.91
- 500 free – 4:22.68
- 200 free – 1:38.98
If you have a commitment to report, please send an email with a photo (landscape, or horizontal, looks best) and a quote to Recruits@swimswam.com.
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Read the full story on SwimSwam: Sam Marsteiner, #7 in the Class of 2026, Makes Verbal Commitment to NC State