After entering the transfer portal last week, 2024 NCAA Championship ‘B’ finalist Kathryn Ackerman will transfer to Purdue to use her COVID-19 fifth year.
Ackerman spent her undergraduate career at Michigan. She earned an NCAA invite in all four years as a Wolverine.
Ackerman made an NCAA final as she made the NCAA ‘A’ final of the 400 IM as a freshman and the NCAA ‘B’ final in the 400 IM as a senior. She finished her career at Michigan with a best time in the 400 IM as she swam a 4:06.88 in prelims at 2024 NCAAs.
Ackerman’s best college SCY times are:
- 200 IM: 1:58.16 (2021 SMU Classic)
- 400 IM: 4:06.88 (2024 NCAAs)
- 500 free: 4:40.00 (2022 Big Tens)
- 1650 free: 16:10.72 (2022 Big Tens)
- 200 back: 1:56.11 (2021 SMU Classic)
The Purdue women had zero swimmers invited NCAAs this past season but finished 18th as a team with 57 points, 20 points behind 17th place UNC.
Not only is Ackerman a big addition to the Boilermakers at the NCAA level but she also is a boost at the conference level as she scored 35 points at 2024 Big Tens, highlighted by a 4th place finish in the 400 IM (4:09.54). The Purdue women finished 6th out of 12 teams at 2024 Big Tens, scoring 572.5 points.
Ackerman’s 35 individual points at 2024 Big Tens would have been the most of their swimming roster. The team’s top four scorers were all divers while their highest scoring swimmer was freshman Kate Mouser who scored 24 individual points.
Ackerman told SwimSwam, “I have nothing but appreciation, love and gratitude for my Michigan swim family. This TEAM has grown so much in the four years I’ve been here. I am leaving the program confident it is in great hands with Matt Bowe and the respective coaching staff.”
Ackerman studied Biomedical Engineering as an undergraduate at Michigan and plans to pursue a Masters in Medical Device Development at Purdue. “The intersection between athletics and academics at Purdue provides an incredible opportunity for me, and I am thrilled to have the chance to swim with my sister for one year,” Ackerman said.
Kathryn’s younger sister will also arrive at Purdue this coming fall. Grace Ackerman will graduate from Grand Haven High School on the west side of Michigan this spring.
Makes sense. Going from one great Engineering school to another one!
Even though she’s leaving, this is now the 4th Michigan swimmer to reference the new team culture in their announcement and how great it is. Gotta be a good sign for the Michigan program