2019 California State 100 Back Runner-Up Danielle Carter Leaves Cal Program

Backstroker Danielle Carter has entered the NCAA transfer portal and is no longer part of the California women’s swimming & diving program. Carter is a native of Mountain View, California, which is about an hour from Berkeley across the San Francisco Bay.

“I am continuing to swim and search for a better swimming and academic program that will fit me and that I can contribute to,” said Carter.

TOP TIMES

  • 50y back – 25.11
  • 100y back – 53.51
  • 200y back – 1:55.40
  • 100y fly – 53.95
  • 200y fly – 2:00.79
  • 100y free – 50.71
  • 200y free – 1:48.61
  • 200y IM – 2:00.79

All of Carter’s lifetime bests in yards are from high school, where she was the 2019 CIF State Championship runner-up in the 100 back as a senior at Los Altos High School.

Carter competed into the summer of 2019 with Palo Alto Stanford Aquatics, where she hit a lifetime best in the 50m back (30.43). Her most recent meet was the Speedo Junior National Championships in August of 2019.

Coming in to college, Carter was a strong backstroke addition, especially in the 200, to a Cal program that has had major success in the discipline historically. She never raced a meet with the Golden Bears, though.

35
Leave a Reply

Subscribe
Notify of

35 Comments
newest
oldest most voted
Inline Feedbacks
View all comments
RMS
4 years ago

Nobody wants to just practice and not compete in the meets. Good for her for deciding this early on. I wish her the best in finding a program that will need her talents.

Swim Fan
4 years ago

I hear the swim environment is not super positive, just look at all the post grads leaving as fast as they can after graduation or prior. Plus it would be a good research project to see all the athletes who just quit vs transferring over the years, Teri will drive you to quit vs transfer. Leave it to Cal to reward that culture with contract extensions.

Biritera
Reply to  Swim Fan
4 years ago

Is Katie “Baby Love” McLaughlin training with Cal postgrad?

Curious
Reply to  Biritera
4 years ago

What?

Jewelindapool
Reply to  Swim Fan
4 years ago

An ignorant statement Swim Fan.

Josh
Reply to  Swim Fan
4 years ago

Even Dana Vollmer quit last year. Can’t Teri Mckeever get anyone to stick around?

CurlySue
Reply to  Josh
4 years ago

Dana transferred to Cal, and had been there for about 13 years, had two children, swam at 2 Olympics, won 6 metals, 3 gold at 2012 Olympics, 18 months after having her first child. NCAA swimmer of the year, Held American and World records. All under the tutelage of Teri.. Clearly she wised up and decided Cal was not the program for her, I’m sure she would have done much better with any male swimming coach. Dana retired from swimming at the age of 32.. had she not been at Cal- who knows what she could have accomplished!

Best of luck
4 years ago

Is it easier to transfer to a school outside of the PAC 12? I don’t know all the eligibility rules. I wish her the best. She will be a great addition wherever she chooses to go.

Foreign Embassy
Reply to  Best of luck
4 years ago

If she attended class I believe she would have to sit for 2 years if she transferred within the pac-12…

CrinkleCut
4 years ago

Joining Yuri (and Phoebe!) at Wisconsin?

DMacNCheez
4 years ago

Was shocked at first glance when I thought it said Daniel Carr

Moreresults
4 years ago

Tennessee? Pretty good history with backstroke transfers

Armchair
Reply to  Moreresults
4 years ago

Kaitlin Hardy recently transferred from Texas, I believe, to Tennessee and won the 200 backstroke in the dual
against Georgia a few days ago.

ACCfan
Reply to  Moreresults
4 years ago

Good guess! Schools which Dani are rumored to be looking at – Tennessee, Georgia, Minnesota, Indiana, Alabama, ASU, Santa Barbara?

RAD
Reply to  ACCfan
4 years ago

Just stop swimming for a year, focus on her academics. Go back swimming once she’s settled.

spectatorn
4 years ago

Good luck to her in swimming and school.

This year, there are 3 Seniors, 1 Junior, 1 Sophomore and (now) 2 Freshmen include backstroke in the roster. Next year, after the 3 Seniors graduated, the backstroke group will really need this year’s freshmen to step up (not counting the incoming class).

Foreign Embassy
Reply to  spectatorn
4 years ago

Isabell Stadden will arrive in the fall and be a huge impact to their backstroke squad.

marklewis
4 years ago

She’s right to quit if it wasn’t going to work for her. Cal is tough academically and the swimming program is demanding too.

Good luck to her finding the right combination of swimming and academics and fun.

About Karl Ortegon

Karl Ortegon

Karl Ortegon studied sociology at Wesleyan University in Middletown, CT, graduating in May of 2018. He began swimming on a club team in first grade and swam four years for Wesleyan.

Read More »