Matthew Kraemer, the Texan who swims for Eagle Swimming Association in suburban Houston will join the Florida State Seminoles next year. Kraemer is a solid freestyler, and has begun to show potential in the butterfly events as well.
Not to be limited to the sprint freestyle events, he has posted a 4:36.76 500 free and a 1:53.52 200 butterfly at Sectionals in the spring of 2014 as well.
“Matt has only begun to scratch his potential,” his coach Mike Robinson said. “His growth in the past year in both training and racing will give Florida State a major mid distance threat. He is also a USA swimming scholastic all-American with a 4.0 average, so he will make a major impact in the classroom as well.”
Kraemer’s best times and improvements in yards:
| 50 yard free | 100 yard free | 200 yard free | 500 yard free | 100 yard fly | 200 yard fly | |
| Freshman | 22.98 | 50.31 | 1:45.16 | 4:45.29 | 58.22 | 2:12.70 |
| Sophomore | – | 48.27 | 1:44.18 | 4:39.76 | 53.66 | 1:58.05 |
| Junior | 21.99 | 47.14 | 1:41.30 | 4:36.76 | 51.77 | 1:53.52 |
During his junior season, Kraemer was 8th at the Texas High School 4A State Championship meet (small schools) in both the 100 free and the 200 free for Summer Creek High School. He was actually second coming out of prelims of the 200 free with his best time of 1:41.30 listed above, and his qualification to finals was faster than the winning time in finals, but Kraemer lost the field in that final on the third 50 of the race.
He has transferred to cross-town rival school Atascocita for his senior season, just 7 miles away. That means he’ll move up to the 6A State Championship this year with the bigger schools and generally deeper competition.
Editor’s note: Texas has redefined their state classifications. Beginning in the 2014-2015 season, 6A will be the big school championship, with 5A & under being the small school championship.
As a freshman in high school (and even moreso as an 8th grader- where he was actually 22.92 in the 50 free), Kraemer was well ahead-of-the-curve in the sprint freestyle events, but as he’s aged and matured he’s done a lot to improve his butterfly times and 200 free to match. Whether or not that progression continues will determine where he will specialize for Florida State. On paper, it seems like the butterfly races are where he has a lot of room to grow and develop still, and he’s a Winter Nationals qualifier now in the 200 fly in long course (2:07.2). On the other hand, both Florida State head coach Frank Bradley, and the Seminoles’ program historically, are known for their development of freestylers.
In other words: time will tell where Kraemer fits in with the Florida State program and the ACC in general, but his fast times as a young swimmer shows that the natural talent is there.