The women’s side of the NCAA transfer portal has had some notable entries recently including 2024 NCAA ‘A’ finalist Caroline Bentz of Virginia Tech entering as a graduate transfer.
Bentz spent all four years at Virginia Tech and has improved throughout her career with the Hokies. Her biggest swims came this year at NCAAs as she finished 7th in the 200 back in a 1:52.39 after swimming a best time in prelims with a 1:51.81. That was her first time making an NCAA ‘A’ final. She also had her best showing at ACCs her senior year as she was 3rd in the 200 back (1:52.23) and 6th in the 100 back (52.63).
Bentz has earned an individual NCAA invite in all four of her years at Virginia Tech. As a junior, she also made the 200 back final at NCAAs as she ultimately finished 14th in a 1:52.74.
Bentz’s time progression:
| Freshman | Sophomore | Junior | Senior | |
| 100 back | 52.74 | 52.81 | 52.71 | 51.96 |
| 200 back | 1:53.86 | 1:53.41 | 1:52.74 | 1:51.81 |
Entering the portal does not guarantee a transfer; rather it allows student-athletes the opportunity to discuss the possibility of transferring with other programs. On rare occasions, we have seen student-athletes enter the portal and ultimately decide to stay with their programs.
Chase Travis
Bentz is not the only Hokie in the portal for a graduate year as distance freestyler Chase Travis also has entered. Travis also made NCAAs this past season finishing 21st in the 1650 free and 35th in the 500 free.
Travis has also made NCAAs in all four years at Virginia Tech. Her best times stand at 4:41.71 in the 500 free from March 2020 while her best 1650 free time stands at a 16:00.54 from 2022 ACCs. Her season bests as a senior were a 4:41.73 in the 500 free and a 16:03.93 in the 1650.
Cecilia Viberg
NCAA qualifier Cecilia Viberg of Louisville is in the portal after spending two years with the Cardinals. Viberg swam in prelims of the 100 breast at NCAAs swimming a 1:01.17 for 48th. She swam season best times at midseason with a 59.66 in the 100 breast and a 2:16.66 in the 200 breast.
Viberg also made NCAAs as a freshman swimming in prelims of the 100 breast as well as swimming the breaststroke legs of both Louisville’s 200 and 400 medley relays. Those relays both went on to finish in the top 8.
Viberg’s best times are:
- 100 breast: 59.37
- 200 breast: 2:13.94
Jordan Durocher
Also from Louisville, Jordan Durocher just finished up her sophomore season. Durocher competed at ACCs finishing 27th in the 200 back (1:58.07) and 400 IM (4:21.01) as well as 36th in the 200 fly (2:04.82). Her season bests in the events came from dual meets.
Her best times in the events stand at:
- 200 back: 1:56.43 (March 2023)
- 200 IM: 2:02.28 (February 2023)
- 400 IM: 4:11.88 (March 2022)
- 200 fly: 1:59.05 (March 2022)
Madeleine Hebert
NC State’s Madeleine Hebert is the 2nd first-year to enter the portal as backstroke and butterflyer Miriam Sheehan entered last week. Hebert primarily specializes in freestyle.
Hebert’s season finished up at ACCs as she was 47th in the 100 free (50.79) and 42nd in the 500 free (4:57.88). She also timed trialed the 200 free finishing in a 1:49.25. All of her season best times came from midseason as she swam a 23.23 in the 50 free, 50.06 in the 100 free, 1:46.92 in the 200 free, and a 4:49.02 in the 500 free.
All of Hebert’s personal best times stand from high school, primarily from 2022 Winter Juniors. Then she swam a 22.73 in the 50 free, 48.78 in the 100 free, and a 1:45.76 in the 200 free. Her best time in the 500 free is a 4:44.60 from March 2023.
Alex Mitchell
Florida’s Alex Mitchell just finished her freshman year with the Gators and has entered the portal. Mitchell finished her season at the Florida Invite at the beginning of February. There she swam season best times in the 500 free (4:50.95) and 400 IM (4:17.33) as well as a personal best in the 100 free (51.17).
Mitchell is originally from Brookhaven, Georgia, a suburb of Atlanta. Mitchell’s best times are:
- 100 free: 51.17
- 200 free: 1:48.31
- 500 free: 4:49.25
- 400 IM: 4:15.52
- 200 back: 1:57.81
Laura Garcia Marin
Garcia began her career at Houston before transferring to Arizona State. This past season her season best times came from midseason as she swam a 4:57.95 in the 500 free and a 4:20.01 in the 400 IM. Her 200 fly season and personal best time of a 2:00.43 is from the dual meet in October 2023 against NC State.
Garcia is in the portal as a graduate transfer. Her personal best time in the 500 free is a 4:47.90 while her best time in the 400 IM is a 4:17.85. Both times are from her year at Houston.
Last one in Blacksburg, please turn out the lights
It’s two fifth years. Let’s not read too much into this.
L take
Texas
Now this is good information for any Swim Swam fan interested in college swimming.
pencil SMU in
Do recruiters treat LinkedIn the same way SwimSwam treats the NCAA transfer portal? #opentowork
Is Abby Arens in, too?
Would be surprised. Local kid. Wasn’t a standout season for her but don’t see her disrupting what’s been her home her entire life if she does take a 5th year.
Wasn’t a standout season because she had to do off events because no one else improved to the level that was needed for championships.