Former Arizona State swimmer Cameron Craig has entered the NCAA transfers database, which stands as a first step to returning to collegiate swimming.
Earlier this summer, Craig swam his first race in 14 months in Michigan. He was the 2017 Pac-12 Champion in the 100 and 200 yard freestyles, but before June had not raced since the 2018 NCAA Championship meet – where he placed 13th overall in the 200 free. In January, he told SwimSwam that he would be leaving Arizona State, saying at the time that he was unsure about whether he would return to the NCAA. An entry in the transfers database does not guarantee that an athlete is transferring, but does alert potential destination coaches of their availability to transfer.
He’s been training with Michigan Lakeshore Aquatics in Holland, Michigan recently, alongside US National Team breaststroker Devon Nowicki, among others.
Craig raced at US Nationals last week where he swam the 100 free and 100 fly. In the 100 free, he finished 24th (8th in the C final) in 52.09 after a 49.75 in prelims; in the 100 fly he finished 20th overall (2nd in the C final) in 52.46. He also split a 48.90 on the anchor leg of an MLA relay and a 52.40 fly split on their medley relay. His time in the individual 100 fly was a new lifetime best.
Craig’s Lifetime Bests, Yards/Meters:
- 50 free – 19.50/23.35
- 100 free – 41.95/49.18
- 200 free – 1:31.71/1:49.24
- 100 back – 47.33/54.74
- 200 back – 1:47.47/2:07.27
- 100 fly – 47.18/52.46
- 200 IM – 1:42.75/2:06.20
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This may have been the greatest transfer portal summer ever. I wonder if IU will get him since Texas has to be full
IU does well with the 100/200 freestylers in Pepperoni and Zapple.
Not sure if you understand how the NCAA works
Well generally, fast kids and parents of fast kids want money to help pay for school. Based on the recruiting profile of Texas’s last couple years including the addition of NCAA qualifiers from Bama, UNC, and UF it’s safe to imagine that there may not be any money left. So a viable option for a kid of his swimming profile and aspirations to make an Olympic or National team would to be go train at a top tier University. Now for him to not have a good deal of Student Loan debt, which would accrue if at Texas on little to no money, he may want to find another top tier program that does fantastic work in developing 100/200 freestylers.… Read more »
Texas is never full
especially not a mid-distance freestyler…
As Livestream Andy would say, “It’s full of swimming.”
Isnt that the dude with the absolutely monstrous 50 kick?
Yeah, like 24.5 or something with a board IIRC.
There will be a few Texas kids in the portal next spring when they leave five or six NCAA qualifiers at home.
That argument didn’t pan out last year when four Texas NCAA swimmers didn’t make the 18 man team and no men entered the portal. There are lots of factors that cause a swimmer to transfer and apparently at Texas there are more positive than negative ones.
Texas’ culture is legendary (men’s)… it’s not often you see a guy leave Texas and go to another team. Some guys decide that their competitive careers are over before graduation, but few ever transfer out.