Kate Murray will transfer South Carolina after spending two years at Auburn. She will have two years of eligibility remaining.
“Change of scenery!
Grateful for the memories, lessons, and relationships built at my first home. A huge thank you to Coach Jeff and Coach Tylor for making this happen! Can’t wait to be a gamecock!”
Murray arrived at Auburn in fall 2024. She had a strong showing at midseason during her freshman season, posting a lifetime best 49.36 in the 100 freestyle. She also tied her lifetime best at the time with a 22.86 50 free and swam a season best 1:49.09 200 free.
She earned SEC Freshman of the Week honors in January 2025 after winning the 100 free in a lifetime best 49.00 and swimming another lifetime best with a 22.80 in the 50 free for 2nd in Auburn’s dual meet against Kentucky. She did not swim at SECs as a freshman, finishing her season at the James E Martin Invite with a 23.39 50 free, 49.61 100 free, and a season best 55.38 100 fly.
Last November, Murray swam to best times in the 50 free (22.79) and 100 fly (53.86) at midseason. She did not swim at SECs as a sophomore, finishing her at the James E Martin Invite with a 22.79 50 free, matching her lifetime best, and a 50.01 100 free.
Murray’s Best Times Are:
- 50 free: 22.79
- 100 free: 49.00
- 100 fly: 53.86
The South Carolina women finished 5th at the 2026 SEC Championships with 668.5 points, finishing just ahead of Auburn who was 6th with 666.5 points.
Murray boosts the team’s sprint group as she would have been 3rd in the 200 free and 2nd in the 100 free this past season. Murray is not the first swimmer to transfer from Auburn to South Carolina in recent years as Taylor Grimley transferred a year ago. Grimley and Murray will both be juniors this fall.
I hear auburn has 6 in the portal…
Names we’ve seen are:
Kathleen Murray
Julia Strojnowska
Samuel Empey
Rokas Jazduskas
River Paulk
Strojnowska is the only of those five who scored at SECs. She won the C Final of the 500 and was 15th in the 1650 for a total of 21 points.
River Paulk makes sense. He was 19.42 last year in the 50 free and only 19.76 this year.
There may be a 6th that we just haven’t seen yet.
Yet another coach wocho fumble!
Spirited hard worker and fast swimmer underutilized and underdeveloped by Auburn. Can’t wait to watch her shine.
Doesn’t Auburn only have one commitment for their HS Class if 2027?
Auburn sucks at keeping swimmers. Recruits – stay away…