Hickory, North Carolina-native Ross Dant has given The Wolfpack their second in-state verbal commitment to the class of 2023. He follows Noah Henderson, who announced his intention to swim for North Carolina State University earlier this month. Dant took to social media to announce:
“Very proud to announce my verbal commitment to NC State University!!!!! #PBG”
Dant swims for Hickory Foundation YMCA Seahorse Swim Team. One of the top distance freestylers in his cohort, he was named to the 2017-18 USA Swimming National Junior Team for his performance in the 800m free (8:02.90) at U.S. Nationals.
In April, Dant set the YMCA Nationals Championship Record in the SCY 1650 free with his winning time of 14:57.03. Dant was still 16 in December when he competed at 2017 Winter Junior Nationals East. There he was the only 16-and-under swimmer in the A final of the 500 free, where he took 4th. He was runner-up in the 1650 free and 8th in the 400 IM. Dant improved his lifetime bests in the 200/500/1650 free, 200 fly, and 400 IM in Nashville, and he moved up on the all-time lists for 15-16 boys in the SCY 500 free (#11), 1000 free (#10), 1650 free (#5), and 400 IM (#60). He is also ranked on the LCM all-time lists in the 400 free (#37), 800 (#10), and 1500 (#20).
NC State has been known as more of a sprint program, but Anton Ipsen and Adam Linker went 2-3 in the 1650 free at the 2017 ACC Conference Championships, and Dant’s best mile time would have put him in fourth just behind them. Ipsen then went on to place 7th in the 1650 at NCAAs, while Linker finished 11th. Dant’s top time would have been 19th. His best 500 time would have landed him in the B final at ACCs, just 4/10 out of the A final.
Top SCY times:
- 1650 free – 14:53.07
- 1000 free – 8:57.54
- 500 free – 4:18.89
- 400 IM – 3:53.10
- 200 fly – 1:49.10
- 200 back – 1:47.70
- 100 back – 49.85
Very proud to announce my verbal commitment to NC State University!!!!! #PBG pic.twitter.com/dS0JoPCSM2
— Ross Dant (@Ross_Dant) January 26, 2018
If you have a commitment to report, please send an email with a photo (landscape, or horizontal, looks best) and a quote to [email protected].
Congrats Ross Dant! Onward and upward!
Congratulations Ross! Great decision!
Jack Walker commited to UVA
Congratulations Ross!
noah henderson & ross dant, shaping up to be an excellent class for nc state.
Ross had to pick state!! No other choice!
As a State alum, I know Gary will make him into a superstar!
Ross was in Tennessee for Juniors.