Nina Kucheran has announced that she will be transferring to Cal to use her 5th year of eligibility this fall.
Kucheran swam her first four years at Florida State. At the 2022 NCAA Championships, Kucheran finished 22nd in the 100 breaststroke (59.53), 28nd in the 200 breaststroke (2:09.23), and 31st in the 200 IM (1:57.12).
At the 2022 ACC Championships, she finished fourth in the 100 breaststroke (59.02) and 11th in the 200 IM (1:56.78). She was Florida State’s second highest scorer with 42 points.
Kucheran leaves Florida State as the school record holder in the 200 breaststroke, 200 IM, 200 medley relay, and 400 medley relay. She also finished fourth at the 2021 Canadian Olympic Trials in the 200 breaststroke. She also competed for the Canadian junior national team in 2018 at the Junior Pan Pacs and the Youth Olympic Games.
Best Times in Yards:
- 100 breaststroke: 59.02 (2022 ACC Championships)
- 200 breaststroke: 2:08.57 (2021 Georgia Tech Invite)
- 200 IM: 1:56.68 (2022 ACC Championships)
Athletes were allowed an extra year of eligibility due to COVID-19 during the 2020-2021 season. Many athletes took this extra year this past season, but the number is expected to fall over the next few years.
Kucheran has the potential to make an immediate impact for Cal at the conference level. Based on her best times, Kucheran would have been second in the 100 breaststroke, sixth in the 200 breaststroke, and seventh in the 200 IM at the 2022 Pac-12 Championships. Her 100 breaststroke flat start time is also faster than the team’s 100 breaststroke relay split was on the 400 medley relay. Kucheran’s best times will provide key points for the Golden Bears. This year, Cal finished second ahead of USC by only 26 points.
She also has the potential to make an impact at the NCAA level. Her best time of 59.02 from ACCs would have made the B final in the 100 breaststroke. Her best time is also faster than the 100 breaststroke relay split on the team’s 400 medley relay from NCAAs. There, the Cal women finished 12th. The difference between Cal’s split on that relay (59.91) to Kucheran’s best time (59.02) is 0.89 seconds. This difference would have moved the relay up from 12th to 8th.
Exciting time for the Cal bears. Despite recent challenges there seems to be a great group of girls who are all striving for excellence. Will be exciting to see what Kucheran can add to this mix.
400 MEDLEY: Stadden—Kucheran—McNeil—Ivey
(Fingers crossed that Ivey comes back!)
Could’ve used Rajic’s 57.7 split when they got DQed
This is great news. Hopefully her history and friendship with Maggie MacNeil will make them both feel at home and ease the transition.
Excellent! We can always use a breaststroker.
The transfer portal giveth & the transfer portal taketh away.
Later I realized this was a rather crass welcome.
I’m excited to see she chose Cal as a destination. I think she can make an immediate impact and challenge for MR breaststroke rights.
There’s a lot of movement in our sport right now and it tends to make one view it as just part of the game that is played. But it’s people’s lives and directions to their future.
I hope this move works out well for everyone involved.
Somehow don’t think she will be all that happy with the current news breaking on the Cal coach.