Liberty University Club Sports Athletics
Baxter, ranked seventh in Tennessee, is men’s swim team’s first Fall 2023 recruit
12/14/2022 10:46:00 PM | Men's Swimming
Exactly one month before Christmas, Liberty University fourth-year men's swimming Head Coach Heath Grishaw received an early present in the form of a commitment from the seventh-ranked recruit out of Tennessee — Drew Baxter, who is enrolled in Veritas Christian Academy, a private online homeschool curriculum, while competing for Nolensville High School and the Nashville Aquatics Club.
"He officially committed on Nov. 25," Grishaw said of the backstroke, butterfly, and freestyle specialist ranked seventh overall out of more than 600 seniors in the state.
Grishaw compares Baxter to current senior Matt Davidson — who won three gold medals and was a part of five top-10 relays in leading the Flames to a fifth-place team finish at the College Club Swimming National Championships in April — in his ability and potential.
"Bringing in a guy like Matt Davidson, with his times, was huge for our program," Grishaw said. "He definitely put us on the map. That was four years ago when we had 12 guys on the team. Now we have 30 guys in the program, and a lot of guys who are just as fast in their respective events, so a swimmer like Drew (Baxter) is going to be able to add to what we have built. Drew is coming into a fast program and he's just going to be another piece to the puzzle, another gear to the machine to help keep us moving forward. His strengths are different from Matt's, but talent-wise, he's up there."
Ironically, Baxter was on hand when Davidson committed to the program during Grishaw's first season as head coach in 2019 as he was visiting with his sister, Mia, now a sophomore studying business communications.
"She was looking at the school and we met him and his family, and from that point on, we've continued to talk," Grishaw said. "When he was here, he asked why someone with Matt Davidson's speed would come to Liberty and I explained to him that Matt was in a very similar position. I told them that Liberty would be a good place for him to grow spiritually, academically, and athletically, and explained the university's vision, and that I would help him achieve whatever goals he has, and he would thrive here with the people around him."
Baxter, who is planning to pursue a B.S. in Computer Science—Software Engineering at Liberty, enjoyed his College For A Weekend (CFAW) visit to campus as a junior last spring, when he had the opportunity to train with the team.
"It was great," he said. "I love the whole team, and the fit. They're great guys and coaches. I've wanted to go to a place where I can grow in my faith and be surrounded by like-minded people. I've seen other college teams, and they don't value faith. At Liberty, it's more of a family there and feel I would fit right in, with their faith and their love for the Lord."
Grishaw said as much in scholarship offers as Baxter could have received from NCAA Division I programs, Liberty has everything he needs to thrive in and out of the water, including one of the nation's top collegiate facilities, the Liberty Natatorium, as well as a program with a solid spiritual foundation.
"Drew and his family definitely wanted a Christian environment, so that was a big driving factor," he said. "It always helps that when you are a believer, you do want to surround yourself with other believers, to grow and be around Christ-minded people, because of the values you share, and you're able to fuel off of that. I have no doubt he could swim at the Division I level, but at the end of the day, if you are swimming for the title of NCAA athlete, it would only fulfill you for so long. It's so temporary."
In contrast, Liberty will offer Baxter a training base that allows him to flourish well into the future, with an eternal perspective.
"I do believe this is the place the Lord is calling him to be," Grishaw said. "He feels this is the right fit for him as a program, and that I'm the right fit for him as a coach. He's worked really hard athletically and academically, and both of us will be able to see a bright future during his time here. He's definitely not Matt's replacement, but I think, as a lot of people talk about Matt Davidson's impact now, his name will be associated with this program for years to come."
Baxter has high aspirations for the program and is eager to land a few more individual gold medals and top-five team finishes at nationals over the next four years.
"I want to come to Liberty and be a leader on the team," he said. "It would be cool to help bring them to the next level. I definitely want to come in and help in the backstroke, which is my best event, and seeing that Matt Davidson is the top backstroker and he's moving on, I hope to do that. Looking at times, I would love to set some team records and lead the team to some national championships and every year go faster and faster (individually) and do better and better (as a team)."
He has continued to excel in high school and with his club team, swimming personal record times in the 100- and 200-yard back, 200 fly, 50 free, and in a leg of the 400 free relay at a mid-season meet in early December.
"I am on track to do pretty well at the high school state championship meet in February and the Southern Premiere (club) championship meet in March," Baxter said, noting that he is closing in on qualifying standards for USA Swimming's Summer Junior Nationals. "Making the U.S. Olympic Trials at the end of my freshman year (for the Summer Games in Paris) in 2024 would be a goal of mine."
By Ted Allen/Staff Writer
