Recruiting in the South is cut throat.
No matter the sport, the battle between coaches in the Southeastern Conference and beyond reaches across state lines to capture the commitment of sought-after high school athletes.
For the LSU men’s swimming team, one of its most prized recruits in recent years wasn’t found near Louisiana. In fact, then-assistant swimming coach Dave Geyer couldn’t even meet Craig Hamilton face-to-face.
That’s because Hamilton, now a junior distance swimmer, was born and raised in Edinburgh, Scotland.
“You’re looking for the best athlete out there,” Geyer said. “And for us, it doesn’t matter what country you’re from.”
Hamilton wasn’t an easy recruit for Geyer to land. He pointed to a particular phone conversation when Hamilton mentioned the University of New Orleans, which had a Division I swimming program at the time, as another potential school.
Geyer was quick to point Hamilton to the numbers and steer him in LSU’s direction.
“I told him to look at top times, look at school records and look at the developments of athletes at our program,” Geyer said.
Now the head swimming coach, Geyer saw his persistent overseas recruitment pay dividends, with Hamilton quickly cementing himself as one of the best distance swimmers in program history.
Hamilton broke two University records as a freshman and another during his sophomore season, all the while shattering the two he set during the previous season. To date, he holds program records in the 500-yard, 1,000-yard and 1,650-yard freestyle.
What makes his ascent to the top all the more impressive is that Hamilton was forced to adjust to different coaches each of his first three seasons.
“It’s been hard work, it’s been different training, different stuff,” Hamilton said. “But I think Dave [Geyer] has it right this year.”
Geyer said Hamilton’s adjustment to American culture was aided by his parent’s other home in Tampa, Fla., where Hamilton spent part of his summers and some holidays training with swim clubs.
Hamilton said the food and weather in Louisiana have been a welcome surprise from Edinburgh, and the fact that he already was fluent in English mitigated his transition.
Hamilton, who enrolled in LSU at age 17, recalled one embarrassing moment from his freshman year when his mass communication class was viewing some graphic material.
“The teacher asked if anyone wasn’t 18 … and I realized I was the only one with my hand up in the Cox Auditorium, sitting directly in the middle,” Hamilton laughed.
But in the pool, Geyer said the transition from meters to yards can wreak havoc on international swimmers. As far as he and others can tell, Hamilton has had no ill effects.
“We knew the potential was there [for Hamilton],” Geyer said. “It was just a step-by-step process for him.”
In addition to holding three school records, Hamilton has qualified for three straight NCAA Championships and garnered an honorable mention All-American 15th place finish in the 1,650-freestyle last season.
Hamilton said the upcoming NCAA Championships will be his best yet, with his seeded time in the top 16. He hopes to build on the experience gained from the last two championship meets to outdo his previous finishes.
“I feel like I’ve capitalized [on Geyer’s training style], and I’ll be closer to the top 16 than ever,” Hamilton said.
 
____
Contact Chandler Rome at [email protected]