Diehl wins 3 events at YMCA Short Course Championships, commits to NC State

Apr. 13—GREENSBORO, N.C. — It was a banner week for Cumberland swimming prodigy Daniel Diehl, who won three events at the YMCA National Short Course Championships and announced his college commitment.

Diehl, the No. 1 ranked swimmer in the nation for the Class of 2024, pledged his verbal commitment to North Carolina State on Tuesday. The Wolfpack are coached by Braden Holloway, winner of nine Atlantic Coast Conference Men's Swimming Conference Coach of the Year honors in just 12 seasons in Raleigh.

N.C. State, which has captured 32 ACC swimming titles, finished fifth in the nation in 2023.

Diehl will be a welcome addition to the Wolfpack, as was evident at the national short course championships in Greensboro last week.

The Allegany High junior took first place in the 100 backstroke (46.67), 200 back (1:40.47) and 200 individual medley (1:44.51). He captured third in the 100 freestyle (43.53).

Diehl, who is coached by Brian Dowling at the Cumberland YMCA, swam his second fastest time of his career in the 200 backstroke on the second night of nationals — besting Virginia commit David King by more than two seconds.

A day later, he won the 100 back with ease, finishing just .46 seconds off his best time of 46.01.

Diehl then set the meet record in the 200 individual medley on Day 4, winning the event by more than three-and-a-half seconds. His time bested Brendan Burns' meet record of 1:44.87 set in 2019 and was 1.50 off his personal best.

For his career, Diehl owns three United States National Age Group records, all in the 100 backstroke: 13-14-year old short course (47.44), 15-16 long course (53.27) and 17-18 long course (53.07).

Diehl will be honored on Sunday as the Dapper Dan Top Award winner for the second year in a row. The Dick Sterne Memorial Dapper Dan Sports Banquet will be held at 4 p.m. at the Ali Ghan Shrine Club.

Each year the club reviews possible candidates and votes on an individual, team or organization that brings the most national attention back to Allegany County.

The swimmer — the first to capture the Top Award — is the ninth person to win it more than once.

Bob Robertson, the "Mount Savage Strongboy," was the first multi-time recipient, repeating in 1971 and '72. Since then, Mark Manges, Bob Kirk, Sam Perlozzo, Steve Bazarnic, Leo Mazzone, Aaron Laffey and Ty Johnson have achieved the feat.

Johnson, a star football player at Fort Hill and the University of Maryland who is entering his fifth season in the National Football League, holds the record winning the Top Award four straight times between 2016-19.

Perlozzo has been given the Top Award a record six times but never in consecutive years.