North Carolina Swimmer Liam Drake Commits to Georgia Tech

Drake, a distance freestyle specialist, will join the Yellow Jackets' roster in Fall 2027.

Mar. 21, 2026 at 12:18pm

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Liam Drake, a junior at Cardinal Gibbons High School in Raleigh, North Carolina, has announced his verbal commitment to swim for Georgia Tech beginning in the fall of 2027. Drake is a strong distance freestyler who has found success at the state and national levels, and he is expected to be a key contributor for the Yellow Jackets in events like the 500, 1000, and 1650 free.

Why it matters

Drake's commitment is a significant addition to Georgia Tech's men's swimming and diving program, as he has the potential to make an immediate impact in distance freestyle events. The Yellow Jackets will look to Drake to help bolster their performance at the ACC Championships and potentially score points at the NCAA level.

The details

A member of the Raleigh Swimming Association club team, Drake has established himself as one of the top distance freestylers in his high school class. He has won multiple state titles in North Carolina and has also found success at the regional and national levels, including top-10 finishes in the 1650 free, 1000 free, and 500 free at the 2025 Speedo Winter Junior Championships - East. Drake's personal best times in the 1000 free (8:59.70) and 1650 free (15:09.59) would currently rank him first and second, respectively, on Georgia Tech's roster.

  • Drake verbally committed to Georgia Tech in March 2026.
  • He is set to join the Yellow Jackets' roster in the fall of 2027.

The players

Liam Drake

A junior at Cardinal Gibbons High School in Raleigh, North Carolina, who specializes in distance freestyle events and has committed to swim for Georgia Tech beginning in the fall of 2027.

Georgia Tech

An NCAA Division I program that competes in the Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC). The Georgia Tech men's swimming and diving team placed 12th out of 15 teams at the 2026 ACC Championships.

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What they’re saying

“I am incredibly blessed to announce my verbal commitment to continue my academic and athletic career at Georgia Tech! I want to thank my friends, family, Coach Ethan, Coach Jenni and all of RSA for helping me get to where I am today. I'd also like to thank Coach John, Coach Iago, and all the GT staff for this amazing opportunity! Go Jackets!”

— Liam Drake

What’s next

Drake will continue to train and compete for his high school and club teams over the next year before joining the Georgia Tech roster in the fall of 2027.

The takeaway

Liam Drake's commitment to Georgia Tech is a significant addition to the Yellow Jackets' men's swimming and diving program, as he has the potential to make an immediate impact in distance freestyle events and help the team improve its performance at the ACC and NCAA levels.