Swarthmore sophomore Danny Castle ’27, hailing from Highland Park, IL, has rapidly emerged as a standout in the Garnet men’s swimming program. Specializing in freestyle and backstroke events, Castle has already etched his name in the college’s record books. At the 2024 Centennial Championships, he set a program record in the 100-yard freestyle with a time of 45.15 seconds. Additionally, he achieved NCAA B cuts in both the 200-yard freestyle (1:38.69) and the 200-yard individual medley (1:50.05). Castle’s exceptional performances have earned him multiple accolades, including being named the Centennial Conference Rookie of the Year in 2024 and securing seven All-Centennial honors — three First Team and four Second Team selections. He was also recognized as the Centennial Conference Men’s Swimming Athlete of the Week twice during the 2024-25 season. In February 2025, Castle’s contributions were pivotal in leading Swarthmore to its fourth consecutive Centennial Conference men’s swimming championship. He was named the Most Outstanding Performer of the meet, being the only swimmer to clinch three individual gold medals, winning the 200-yard individual medley, 200-yard freestyle, and 100-yard freestyle. Castle’s dedication and achievements continue to elevate Swarthmore’s swimming program, setting a high standard for excellence in collegiate athletics. He was an integral part of the Swarthmore men and women’s swimming teams’ trip to Greensboro, NC to compete at NCAAs this past weekend as well (March 19-22).
Katie Kerman: How did you feel about the Centennial Championship and NCAAs?
Danny Castle: Conference this year was probably the most exciting meet I have ever been a part of. We had so many guys step up and jump their seeds, dropping time and such. We came in as massive underdogs (I think around 120 points), so we had to take the meet one race at a time to try to chip away at their advantage. On an individual level, I wish I had gone a little faster, but I would trade best times for a team title any day. NCAAs was certainly a different type of environment than I am used to. It’s just such a competitive meet; it was shocking how close every race was. The margins between being a national champion and making the final at all are so small it can be a little overwhelming at times. But same as the conference meet, I was overall very happy with our team’s performance. It was one of our first times securing All-American status in multiple relays, so from that perspective it was a huge success. There is certainly room for improvement though, and we’ll be back next year to do even more damage.
KK: What have been some highlights of the season now that you can look back at it?
DC: Celebrating the conference championship with my teammates has to be one of the highlights of my whole career. This title really had to be earned – we had to work our butts off in the pool and be locked in behind the blocks at the meet. It was an unbelievably close meet against a very talented Gettysburg team, and it took an incredible team effort to pull it off. No one wilted under the pressure, and it made the victory so sweet.
KK: What are some team or personal goals for the next season?
DC: Well, as usual, we want the conference title again. I also think a top 20 finish at [nationals] would be a big step for the program. My individual goals really just follow that same vein – in order to win conference we have to maintain Swat’s dominance in the sprints. In order to be a top 20 team and earn us some more hardware at nats, we have to lock in this summer and get faster before stepping on campus. I think the success we see next year will be directly related to how much work we put in this offseason – and I’m certainly committed to improving my place at NCAAs in the 100 and 200 free.
KK: Do you have any pre-game or post-game rituals?
DC: I have to eat A LOT before my races. I don’t know if that is necessarily a pre-race “ritual” but I’m a hefty boy and hefty boys gotta eat I guess, haha.
KK: Do you have an athlete role model or someone in the sport you look up to?
DC: My glorious king Caeleb Dressel haha. Phelps obviously as well, but Dressel just has unbeatable deck presence. As of late I’ve also been paying attention to how Jordan Crooks and the Tennessee sprinter men have been doing things, but Dressel is someone I’ve been watching since middle school and have had the privilege of racing against. So yeah – Dressel is that dude.
KK: Why do you swim?
DC: Well, I’d like to say it’s because I love the sport, but that would be a lie. Swimming is a sport of incredibly high highs and incredibly low lows. It’s grueling, exhausting, draining, and heartbreaking. But in the rare times that you hit your goal time, win an event, qualify for a meet,or make a final, etc, it’s just the most incredible feeling ever. Some of my greatest moments of my entire life were in the minutes after crushing a big race, celebrating with friends after winning a meet, or standing on the podium with my teammates after finally qualifying a relay for nationals. I also really enjoy being part of this team. It can feel a bit like a frat at times, and with so much of our lives at this school devoted to academics, that culture is something I need on the weekends too, honestly, just to stay sane here, haha.
KK: Why did you choose Swarthmore? What is your area of study; do you have a favorite class you’ve taken so far?
DC: I chose Swat because it has a really strong rep with the med school admins. It’s been a lifelong dream of mine to serve as a military surgeon and I thought Swat would set me up really well for that career path. It also, being a liberal arts college, allows me to pursue physics as a side gig while being a pre-med student. I am fascinated by the mysteries of the universe, and I find physics to be a fun little hobby to do alongside my professional career.
KK: How has being a student athlete impacted your experience at Swarthmore so far?
DC: Gosh, well, without the swim team I would be drowning socially. These guys have really helped me come out of my shell and I am very grateful for that. We have a really good dynamic amongst the men’s and women’s teams about balancing school, swim, and fun. It has made the Swat experience a lot more enjoyable.
KK: What do you like to do outside of school and swim?
DC: Fishing, football, and food. I guess I also play guitar but when I’m not swimming, sleeping, or studying you can find me reeling in some big boy catfish on a river bank, watching/playing football, or stuffing my face with food (I’m a swimmer so it’s fine).
KK: Do you have a favorite song or artist?
DC: Alright, so I do listen to Taylor Swift. And yes, it’s not just one or two songs, it’s like three or four albums worth on my playlist. It’s kind of a guilty pleasure, but her songs are just better than everything else that’s on right now. I also like old 80’s rock, early 2000s country/pop, and Chief Keef/Childish Gambino-type music. Before meets I’ll usually rip the Chief Keef.
