Michael Cotter Returns to UNC Swim Team

Swimmers showcasing their skills in a competitive collegiate swimming event.

News Summary

Cary native Michael Cotter makes a notable return to the University of North Carolina’s men’s swimming and diving team after a season at the University of Texas. Initially starting his collegiate career at NC State, Cotter faced a significant injury in 2022 but impressed with his competitive times before transferring. Now, as he enters his final year of eligibility, his addition is expected to enhance the team’s performance and relay potential as they prepare for upcoming championships.

Cary, North Carolina – Michael Cotter, a talented swimmer and Cary native, is making a significant return to the University of North Carolina (UNC) after a season spent at the University of Texas. The decision comes as part of his final year of eligibility, enhancing the roster of the men’s swimming and diving team.

Cotter initially began his collegiate swimming career at NC State before transferring to Texas. During his time at NC State, he made a notable impact but faced a setback in 2022 when he suffered a torn ACL and fractured tibia, which interrupted his freshman season. Despite this injury, Cotter managed to record impressive times at NC State’s mid-season invite, clocking times of 43.25 seconds in the 100 free, 1:34.45 in the 200 free, and 1:45.08 in the 200 Individual Medley (IM). Although these marks were not at par with his high school bests, they were still recognized as season bests.

Following five months of recovery, Cotter returned to competitive swimming at the Pro Swim Series in Mission Viejo, where he finished second in the 200 free with a time of 1:48.21. He continued with NC State and represented the team in various dual meets during his sophomore season before entering the transfer portal in March 2024.

In July 2024, Cotter announced his transfer to Texas. While at Texas, he achieved personal bests in multiple events, including a time of 43.01 seconds in the 100 free and 1:44.49 in the 200 IM. However, he did not secure a spot on the Longhorns’ conference roster, last competing in February 2025 at the Sterkel Classic.

The landscape for collegiate athletes has evolved, especially with the NCAA imposing roster limits on Division I sports due to the House v NCAA case. This ruling includes roster caps for designated student-athletes (DSAs), allowing transfers such as Cotter not to count against the new school’s limits. This was a consideration for UNC’s men’s swimming and diving team, which had a roster of 34, with 6 graduating athletes and 5 incoming freshmen this season.

Cotter’s return to UNC provides valuable depth to the team’s relay potentials. His current times would rank him 4th in the 100 free and 2nd in the 200 free on the team. To be competitive at the Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) Championships in 2025, Cotter will need to achieve cuts of 42.78 for the 100 free and 1:34.41 for the 200 free.

Joining Cotter are fellow transfer Hudson DeGroote, along with incoming freshmen Granger Bartee, Sam Huggins, Benton Grutter, Julian Swiderski, and David Melnychuk as they prepare for the upcoming fall season at UNC. Last season, the UNC men’s swimming team finished 23rd at the NCAA Championships and 4th at the ACC Championships, an improvement from their 8th place finish at the ACCs and 33rd at the NCAAs in 2024.

The presence of seasoned transfers like Cotter is anticipated to bolster the team’s performance and potentially elevate their standing in collegiate swimming.