photo by: Richard Gwin

Free State's Jordan Portela swims the butterfly leg of the boys 200 IM relay with a time of 2.00.63 as FSHS Invitational swim meet on Thursday, January 14, 2016 at Free State.

Jordan Portela, one of the most accomplished swimmers in state history, spent the last three weeks traveling to colleges on official visits.

With the fall signing period approaching for high school athletes, the Free State High senior knew it was time to make a decision.

Portela made an oral commitment to swim at Minnesota on Tuesday night, later announcing the news with an Instagram post. His older brother and sister both swam for the Golden Gophers.

Minnesota coach Kelly Kremer flew to Lawrence to watch Portela’s club team practice and Portela delivered the good news to his future coach over dinner. Portela chose Minnesota over offers from Arizona State and Florida State based on academics.

“Honestly when it came down to it, Minnesota had a lot better business school,” Portela said. “That really drew my attention there. I’m excited to continue my education there and I know I’ll be able to have a job lined up after college because I know they do a really nice job with the athletes and everyone there.”

Portela is an eight-time Class 6A state champion. In each of the first three years of his prep career, he’s earned the state meet’s Athlete-of-the-Meet honor.

He made his official visit to Minnesota two weeks ago and fellow Free State swimmer Evan Yoder made his visit on the same weekend.

Though two of his siblings swam in the program, Portela wanted to make his own decision. He said he wavered between Arizona State and Minnesota, which included being recruited by ASU coach Bob Bowman, who was the head coach of the men’s United States 2016 Olympic swimming team and coached Michael Phelps throughout his career.

“I love my siblings, but I also feel like I’m a lot different than they are,” Portela said. “But in the same way I also looked at it like even if I go in the same direction as them, I don’t have to take the same path and I can set my own future.”

Portela owns Free State school records in six events: 200-yard freestyle (1:39.94), 100 butterfly (49.44) and 100 freestyle (46.23) along with all three relays.

A nine-time Sunflower League champion, Portela owns four of the league meet’s 11 swimming records.

But the college recruitment process brought a different sense of pressure. In college swimming, scholarship money usually dries up by the start of the fall signing period in November, which meant his decision was needed as soon as possible.

“Dumbbells just fell off my back honestly,” he said.