How State College’s Matt Brownstead rose to become one of the country’s top high school swimmers

Four years ago, as an eighth-grader, State College’s Matt Brownstead simply wanted to focus on a sport that could one day take him to states.

He never dreamed quite this big.

The Little Lions’ swimmer gave up basketball, soccer and lacrosse to concentrate on the pool. He stunned himself by reaching his original goal as a freshman, finishing third in the PIAA championships. And he’s fast become one of the nation’s top high school swimmers — one who’s eyeing the 2024 Olympics and who most recently earned a gold relay medal at the World Junior Championships in Hungary.

Tussling his brown hair earlier this week, Brownstead admitted he never would’ve believed in eighth grade just how far swimming could take him. “I would’ve probably said you’re crazy,” Brownstead said with a laugh, just outside State College’s natatorium. “I would’ve said that’s ridiculous. There is no way.”

But the more Brownstead dreamt, and the more he scribbled down goals on the dry erase board in front of his bed — just as quickly erasing them upon completion — the more he developed into one of the country’s top teenage swimmers.

SwimSwam, which bills itself as the most-read swimming website in the world, ranked Brownstead in May as the nation’s No. 6 overall swimming recruit. The Virginia commit’s resume is elite: He holds the PIAA state record for the 50 freestyle (19.55 seconds), placed second in the event at nationals, boasts two state gold medals and holds at least four school records.

He is the Usain Bolt of the high school swimming realm, an athlete who boasts the country’s fastest Class of 2020 time in the shortest race. His 50 freestyle time at states last year was so fast that it would’ve allowed him to finish 35th at the 2019 NCAA Division I Championship meet.

“I’ve come across very talented swimmers, a lot that have won states,” Little Lions coach Andrew Morrison said. “But Matt is like a once-in-a-lifetime coaching opportunity.”

The broad-shouldered swimmer, whose mother was a track athlete, didn’t get here by accident — even if he smiles and shakes his head while reflecting on how far he’s come. He always loved the water, never wanting to hop out of the pool when he was 4 years old and always viewing any lake as a place to swim.

There were early hints to Brownstead’s path to greatness, like the time he shaved his head in fourth grade for YMCA states. (“I’ve worn caps since,” Brownstead was quick to add.) Or when he signed up for club swimming in second grade and eventually made the prestigious regional team.

Back in eighth grade, he didn’t need to think long about what sport would take him the furthest. But it took him less than a year to realize he made the right decision. At districts, as a high school freshman, he swam a career-best 21.0 seconds in the 50 free to qualify for states.

“I was like, ‘I can’t believe I made it this far,’” Brownstead recalled.

But the best was yet to come. At states, as a rookie, he lowered his career best yet again — to 20.59 seconds. That 0.41-second improvement, over the course of two weeks in such a short event, is virtually unprecedented, like suddenly lowering a 40-yard dash time from the low-4.4s to the low-4.3s.

“That was an incredible drop,” said Aaron Workman, who coaches Brownstead on the Nittany Lion Aquatic Club. “You could see the change in his mentality right after that like, ‘OK, I’m pretty good at this. I need to buckle down.’”

Said friend and teammate Foster Heasley: “He’s surprised me a couple times. But, honestly, surprises with him aren’t surprises anymore.”

Brownstead, who now consistently swims the 50 freestyle in the mid-19’s, is an unassuming, mild-mannered senior whom teammates label as a leader and the swimmer who’s always the first to pick up his friends. When someone falters, Brownstead is always nearby to offer some consolation or advice.

During a meet Thursday, with a purple towel wrapped around his trunks, he shouted encouragement from the bench while whistling for his brother John, a sophomore who’s also on the team. He knows when to keep it serious and when to keep it light. When nerves were high at states last year, Heasley walked out of the bathroom — and found his bed in the closet. “He just draws people to him,” Heasley added. “He’s a really good guy.”

But it’s what he does in the pool, not out, that’s made him one of the nation’s highest-profile swimming recruits — one who’s set to attend Virginia.

He glides through water like a bird through the air. He balances cutting through water, showing off his power, with speed and blazing arm movement. His get-off is also elite; during the 500 freestyle Thursday, when his head first bobbed above the surface, he was already a body length ahead of the eventual runner-up.

“He’s a big, powerful kid and ... he’s got a great feel for the water,” Workman said. “He does a good job of treating water like it’s cement. He grabs it and pulls it forward.”

Brownstead’s coaches want their star pupil to continue challenging himself, so the State College native is now focusing on other events, too. The 50 freestyle is his top event, followed by the 100 freestyle. But he also holds the school record in the 100 butterfly (49.09), and he finished first in Thursday’s dual meet against Williamsport in the 500 freestyle (4:41.43).

Despite Thursday acting as his first 500 freestyle race this season, Brownstead was already a full pool length ahead of the second-place finisher midway through the event.

“He’s been pretty consistently top-ranked in everything he does,” Brownstead’s brother, John, said. “That’s just kind of the norm for him.”

Brownstead’s brother still remembers the time, three summers ago, when Brownstead drew the Olympic rings on his arm in washable marker. He didn’t know back then his brother would actually be aiming for the Olympics — heck, Matt Brownstead really didn’t either — but that’s since become a reality.

The State College senior will compete in the Olympic Trials in June, although he’s hoping the experience simply prepares him for 2024. He wants to qualify this year for the Junior Pan Pacific Championships, a goal that’s written on his dry erase board — along with hitting 19.2 in the 50 freestyle at states.

Four years ago, Brownstead didn’t let his mind wander far when it came to thinking where swimming might take him. Now, after spending years waking up at 5:30 a.m. to hit the pool and sometimes staying after school until 8:30 p.m. to train, Brownstead’s future could be filled with medals, a pro league (International Swimming League) and a whole lot more.

“Right now, I don’t think he has a ceiling,” Workman said. “He could have a career for a long time.”

Added Brownstead: “2024 Olympic Trials — right now, that’s my ultimate goal.”

This story was originally published January 18, 2020 at 5:17 PM.