Michael Hampel of Owensboro, Kentucky has made a verbal commitment to swim for the University of Louisville beginning with the 2017-18 season.
I am very blessed to announce my verbal commitment to University of Louisville to continue my swimming career. #GoCards @swimswamnews
— PoolBoy Q™ (@Michael_Hampel) September 18, 2016
The Owensboro Catholic High School senior was the 2016 Kentucky High School Athletic Association Swimming & Diving Championships runner-up in the 100 breast (56.41) and sixth-place finisher in the 200 IM (1:53.70). He also split a 24.18 breast on Owensboro Catholic’s 200 medley relay and anchored their 400 free relay in 46.88.
Hampel’s year-round team is the Owensboro Marlins, with whom he had a strong long-course season, culminating in a gold medal in the men’s 100 meter breaststroke at the USA Swimming Futures Championships in Atlanta at the beginning of August 2016. Hampel was runner-up in the 200 breast, just .45 away from victory, and was a C-finalist in the 200 IM; he achieved PBs in all three events. Two weeks earlier he won both the 100 and 200 meter breaststrokes at the Kentucky 13-and-Over Long Course State Championships, and had earned new times in the 50/100/400/1500 freestyles. His top times include:
| SCY | LCM | |
| 100 breast | 56.30 | 1:04.07 |
| 200 breast | 2:03.67 | 2:21.90 |
| 200 IM | 1:53.70 | 2:10.69 |
| 50 free | 21.92 | 24.89 |
| 100 free | 47.94 | 54.16 |
| 200 free | 1:45.35 | 1:57.78 |
Hampel will join fellow-commit Nick Albiero in the Louisville class of 2021. Albiero congratulated his friend with the following tweet:
THIS GUY IS MY TEAMMATE OMGGGG IM SOOO FREAKING EXCITED AHHHH ???????? #CARDS pic.twitter.com/ycab467GUP
— Nick Albiero (@_nalbiero57) September 18, 2016
If you have a commitment to report, please send an email to [email protected]