NCSA Junior National champion Grace Countie has given her verbal commitment, and she’ll be staying in the state of North Carolina as she begins her NCAA career. Countie, a swimmer for the Marlins of Raleigh, has committed to swim for the University of North Carolina Tarheels. She’ll be joining the class of 2022 after graduating from Leesville Road High School.
Countie, the North Carolina State Record holder in the 50 free, was a 2-time North Carolina 4A State champion last season, as she swept the sprint freestyles. She then went on to win the 50 free at NCSA Junior Nationals, where she also collected 4th place in the 50 back, 5th place in the 100 back, and 7th place in the 50 fly.
Countie’s Top Times:
- 50 Yard Free- 22.37
- 100 Yard Free- 49.53
- 200 Yard Free- 1:49.36
- 50 Yard Back- 25.06
- 100 Yard Back- 53.70
- 200 Yard Back- 1:58.14
- 50 Yard Fly- 24.82
- 100 Yard Fly- 56.12
- 200 Yard IM- 2:01.57
Countie will be an immediate asset for the Tarheels at the ACC Championships, and she’s just over a tenth shy of what it took to qualify for 2017 NCAAs in the 50 free. With her best times, Countie would’ve scored in the B-final of the 50 free, B-final of the 100 back, and C-final of the 100 free at the 2017 ACC meet.
I definitely agree that this is a top notch commitment. We seem to have a great women’s class coming in, however, we do not have a strong men’s class. We do not have much coming back from the mens’ team. At one time, we ruled the acc in swimming. Now we are behind Virginia, Louisville, NC State and possibly Virginia Tech. We have got to have top notch recruiting to catch up with these teams. The aforementioned teams seem to stock up with foreign swimmers and most of them are top notch.
You are correct about trying to catch up with those team. However, UNC men’s team has more foreign swimmers coming in on the men’s side as compare to NC State, Louisville, UVA, and VT for the class of 2017. I don’t think it’s recruiting, it’s more about developing the current swimmers who already on campus.
Thats because no US Men want to go there!
Great pick up. Like Emma Cole, Tar Heel swimmer alum parents…we desperately need some of these swimmers on the men’s side.