After a storied collegiate career as a member of the Purdue University men’s swimming and diving team, Trent Pellini will take advantage of the NCAA’s one-time COVID allowance and swim a fifth year in 2021-22 at the University of Southern California while studying for his master’s in finance at the Marshall School of Business.
At Purdue, Pellini was an NCAA qualifier in 2019 (100/200 breast and relays), 2020 (100/200 breast and 200 IM) and 2021 (100 breast, 200 IM, and relays). In 2021, he finished 15th in the 100 breast (52.08) and contributed to the Boilermakers’ 15th-place finish in the 400 free relay.
Pellini leaves Purdue as the school record holder in the 100 yard breaststroke.
Top SCY times:
- 100 breast – 51.76
- 200 breast – 1:55.30
- 200 free – 1:36.06
- 50 free – 20.00
- 200 IM – 1:44.00
Pellini is heading home, having grown up in Dana Hills, California. He swam at Dana Hills High School and Mission Viejo Nadadores before joining the Boilermakers in 2017.
He joins a USC program that had just one breaststroker, senior Mario Koeningsperger, ranked in the top 14 of the Pac-12 last season in the 100 yard distance. Koeningsperger finished 8th at Pac-12s in the 100 after a season-best of 53.33 in prelims.
USC finished 5th out of 5 teams at the Pac-12 Championships last season in their first year under new head coach Jeremy Kipp. In April, USC told SwimSwam that they were investigating an alleged incident involving Kipp kicking a water bottle that struck an athlete, but USC has not released the outcome of that investigation.
We're thrilled to announce that Trent Pellini, a grad transfer from Purdue, will be joining the Trojans in competition this upcoming season!! Welcome to USC Trent!! #FightOn pic.twitter.com/dAdy3MEH4z
— USC Swim & Dive (@USCswim) June 9, 2021
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Nice addition, but another 1 and done swimmer. Can’t build a program with single year, free agents. Until Kip is removed, no top American high school swimmers are committing to this raging dumpster fire.
Nice pickup of someone for the Trojans who looks to be the real deal of a scholar-athlete. Add that the two other grad transfers Sheridan and Tseng and there’s a big infusion of immediately-eligible talent along with 3 international athletes (Ciesla, Koenisperger, and Miljenic) who became eligible for an additional year at USC.
But those are “short-shelf life situations” (one and done) and for the Trojans to have sustainable long-term impact, it means a steady flow in the high-school/junior talent pipeline with more American high school elites like Kozan and more international elites like Austrian Kahler.
The recent USA Olympic Trials shows that Trojans had only 4 current and alum swimmers in Wave II and 7 in Wave I.… Read more »
Great student, great swimmer, awesome teammate! A leader by all measurements.
He holds the Purdue program record in the 100 breast with a *****51.76******
He seems to enjoy swimming to do this. Wonder why not in the OLY trials?
Kiphuth’s philosophy of pursuing a grad degree and extending your pursuit of athletic excellence.
Congratulations! It’s terrific to see athletes taking advantage of the 5th year while also getting started on an advanced degree.