David Nolan
Hershey High School
Impact Statement
“In the grand scheme of things, as long as you’re really enjoying what you’re doing and can logically defend that passion, you’re crushing it.” -David Nolan
Biography
At this year’s 3A state meet, Nolan set two national high school records – erasing the records set by the two previous NHSCA Senior Athlete of the Year honorees – and helped set another. Nolan became a four-time state champion in the 200 individual medley, and his time of 1:41.39 set a national record for the second straight year. That time shaved over two seconds off the record he set in 2010, which at the time broke the record established by the 2010 NHSCA honoree, Kyle Whitaker of Chesterton (Ind.) High.
Nolan’s second individual national record was 45.49 seconds in the 100 backstroke, his second state title in that event. He shaved more than a second off the previous record of 46.75, set by the 2009 NHSCA honoree, Cole Cragin of Friendswood (Texas) High.
In 2010, Nolan won the 100 freestyle state title in a then-national record of 43.27. He also helped put Hershey in the national record book this year in the 200 freestyle relay, swimming an opening leg of 19.58 in a record time of 1:21.01, more than a second faster than the previous mark. Nolan was the 200 individual medley champion in the Junior Pan-Pacific Championships last summer and second in the 100 butterfly. He will attend Stanford University.
Nolan continued his success at Stanford both in the pool and in the classroom. In 2015, he set a national record at the NCAA Division I Championships with a stunning time of 1:39.38. He broke his previous record of 1:40.07.
Over his career, Nolan won two NCAA titles, both in 2013, in the 200 individual medley and the 100 backstroke. We won nine Pac 10 titles in multiple styles. Nolan also earned 17 All America honors.
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