This season is the beginning of the end for senior Dan Glauber.

Glauber, who is the team’s fastest freestyle sprinter, is in his final season with the Wolfpack. After nearly two decades of swimming, he said this is the final page in a chapter of his life.

“From the time I was 4 years old, I’ve been swimming and going to practices,” Glauber said. “It is really crazy that it’s my senior year because swimming has been my entire life, and now it’s going to be over with. It’s almost like I’m going to be starting a brand new life. I’m excited to move on, but I’m also going to miss swimming a lot.”

Glauber’s father, Peter, held nine of 11 records for the Clarence High School in New York swim team before he went on to Auburn to be a varsity swimmer there. He got Dan involved in swimming at a young age, and by the time Dan got to high school, there was only one record his father still owned — the 100 butterfly.

Although Dan was strongest in the freestyle, he trained and broke his father’s last record his senior season. He brought the same work ethic to N.C. State. Although he was recruited to compete in the 50 and 100 freestyle, he has worked hard to become one of the team’s top 100 butterfly swimmers. Senior Brian Crowder said it is a testimony to Glauber’s work ethic.

“He was recruited for two events, and all of a sudden he steps up, trains hard and gets to be one of the top swimmers on the third event as well,” Crowder said. “He has a chance of making three or four different relays, which would be a huge accomplishment.”

Last season, with only one senior on the team, juniors Crowder, Glauber and Jack Roney had to step up into leadership roles. This season, as one of just three seniors, Glauber will be asked to take on even more responsibility. Assistant coach Christopher Woodard said the younger swimmers look up to Glauber’s team spirit.

“His leadership skill lies in his ability to rally people,” Woodard said. “He’s certainly an excellent trainer and carries himself well, but I think it’s more his attitude that a lot of the guys try to emulate. I know that several of the sophomores and the freshmen kind of follow his lead as far as getting up for meets, cheering and getting excited for swimming.”

As a freshman, Glauber reached one of the low points of his swimming career. After training as a varsity collegiate athlete, he had expected to become a stronger swimmer. However, he failed to improve on any of his high school times. As a sophomore under Woodard, he trained with the middle distance swimmers and wound up getting better at all his events. Glauber said he can empathize with underclassmen that are struggling and tries to help them overcome their challenges.

“If I ever see freshmen that are down and are not doing very well, I just tell them not to let it bother them,” Glauber said. “Swimming practice is just like life. You’re going to have your bad days, and you’re going to have your great days. I love to help those guys out, and I love to give them some pointers. I hope that they will always come to me when they need something.”