The University of Georgia says that Matt Sates is still planning to enroll for the spring semester, and he echoed those comments on Wednesday according to Podcaster Brett Hawke.
Hawke Tweeted on Saturday that Sates is planning to fly to Georgia on January 10 and join the team for the spring 2022 semester. This has been his announced plan for a while, but after declaring that he wanted to earn as much prize money as possible at the FINA World Cup Series earlier this year, that was put in doubt because of NCAA rules regarding student athletes’ ability to earn prize money in excess of actual expenses.
A spokesperson for the University of Georgia told SwimSwam on Wednesday that Sates was signed with Georgia and that “the program is hoping he will be able to join the team next semester.”
Sates was scheduled to swim at this week’s Short Course World Championships in Abu Dhabi, but along with 15 other members of the South African team, he was unable to get clearance to travel to the UAE because of COVID-19 travel restrictions.
The United States still has a travel ban for non-citizens coming from South African and 7 other countries in southern Africa due to the prevalence of the Omicron variant of COVID-19 there, which is believed to be highly infections. One possible workaround for this would be for Sates to spend 14 days in another non-restricted country before entering the United States, though that also poses challenges because many of the world’s countries have similar restrictions.
Sates is the current World Junior Record holder in both the 200 and 400 short course meter freestyles, as well as the 200 IM, pending FINA ratification.
Best Times:
| LCM | SCM |
SCY (Converted)
|
|
| 50 free | 22.88 | 21.93 | 19.75 |
| 100 free | 49.29 | 47.14 | 42.46 |
| 200 free | 1:48.08 | 1:40.65 | 1:30.67 |
| 400 free | 3:59.15 | 3:37.92 | 4:09.05 |
| 200 IM | 1:57.60 | 1:51.45 | 1:40.40 |
Sates’ potential depends on how quickly he can adapt to yards racing: when he does, he’s an instant NCAA title contender.
I’ve been seeing stories from international athletes in other sports not being able to capitalize on NIL opportunities due to their citizenship status. How would this affect Sates? Would his NIL money making ability be limited compared to other US swimmers?
It can be harder for American companies to sponsor non-American athletes. Just adds a layer of complexity. Most of the major suit brands are multi-nationals, and have a more international market than just the US, so that could change things.
A lot of other companies will just sort of…ignore…some of the tax or regulation that they should be dealing with, I would bet.
I would be curious to read those articles though. Have any links?
Here are a few that I’ve seen. It looks like the issue here is the visa that foreign student athletes use when coming into the USA. They apply for education visas, which are different than work visas. While I am in no way a lawyer or consider myself to have a strong grasp on these legal issues, it’s something I’ve been hearing about due to having international student athletes as close friends of mine.
https://www.si.com/nfl/draft/.amp/news/international-student-athletes-get-a-raw-deal-out-of-nil-deal
https://collegegymnews.com/2021/10/21/international-student-athletes-are-missing-out-big-on-nil/
Not to mention his 4 IM converts to a 3:37.9, 1fly 45.4 and 1breast to a 53.2. Insanely versatile
and what about Noe Ponti? Still planning to return to NC State? Big boost to their NCAA chances if he does.
He was never planning to return to NC State…
There was an article and an interview where he stated he wasn’t returning last month I believe. Possibly in the future but not in 2022
I wonder what 3 event he’ll swim
Day 1-either 500 or 2 IM
Day 2-200 free
Day 3-100 free?
That probably makes the most sense right now? Though, if he’s going to go anywhere to develop a day 3 (aka day 4) event, Georgia is the place to do it. They develop day 4 events for swimmers without day 4 primaries like few other programs in the country.
How are his 200s? Does he have a best stroke which isn’t Fr/IM?
Fly and breast are pretty good, I believe.
@Noah He’s been a very recent bloomer, so hasn’t showed much of a breadth of events yet. 2:11.9 in the 200 SCM breast, 2:00.4 in the 200 SCM fly. Relative to his peers, breaststroke is the best leg of his IM.
His 100 coverts to 42.4 which was around 16th last year at NCAAs. It’s odd that someone that could challenge for the win in 3 events but can’t swim one of them due to the schedule might not even score in his 4th event.
I still don’t understand why he would change what he is doing… clearly what he is doing now is working really well for him
Because he lives in Pietermaritzburg.
facts
Jack Bauerle still kicking back in his chair with a party hat and some whiskey.
I bet he adjusts to yards quickly. He is better at SCM than LCM. Maybe that is just timing and his LCM gets a boost next summer? If UGA manages to get him on campus I think we are looking at someone getting into the A final in all individual events. He is going to make some stacked events even more exciting. A Sates, Marchand, Foster 200IM will be an amazing NCAA race to watch!
Braden, please name some foreign studs that struggled adapting to yards. I don’t think it is an issue!
Now let’s hope he can get into country! I would imagine he keeps most of his prize money for World Cup! Hard for ncaa check those SA banks! Has he gotten an apparel deal yet?
Burdisso from Northwestern is much better at LCM than SCY.
I don’t think most top level international swimmers that are much stronger at LCM than SC choose to go to the USA. They stay in their home countries because most of the focus is on LCM which they like because they’re better at it.
its interesting, im not sure if its just anecdotal but it does seem that basically all top LCM swimmers can compete with top SCY swimmers but not the other way around. why is that the case?
Because SCY swimming is full of athletes who are great at starts and turns, but who are only average swimmers. There is no hiding in LCM.
And you are saying you can’t be good at both LC and SC? I am saying most elite swimmers are elite at both….in fact his scm resume might be a touch better than LC! I just can’t think of any foreign swimmers who didn’t acclimate to yards without problems. I would say a bigger issue is just can they handle being away from home…like any frosh might have?
Where did you get that from??? Reading is FUNdamental. Great swimmers who can start and turn do well in LCM and SCY/SCM, that should be obvs.
what about the swimmers with average turns but are great swimmers? or do they get weeded out in LCM too?
Townley got weeded at the Olympics lol