University of Georgia sophomore Maxine Parker has entered her name into the NCAA transfer portal. An athlete’s name being in the portal allows them to talk to coaches at other programs about transferring, though it doesn’t mean that they have to transfer.
Parker was a CSCAA First Team All-American in 2020-2021 as a freshman as part of Georgia’s 400 and 800 free relays. She also earned 5 Honorable Mention All-America awards, including finishing in 12th place in both the 50 and 100 yard freestyles.
After swimming all five relays as a freshman, as a sophomore she was in four, earning Honorable Mention All-America honors as part of the 200 free, 400 free, and 400 medley relays and a First Team All-America award by swimming the leadoff leg of Georgia’s 5th place 800 free relay two weeks ago.
She also finished tied for 20th in the 50 free (22.09) and 51st in the 100 free (49.35), both of which were slower than her season-best times. She did swim a 48.31 on a free relay leadoff at NCAAs, though, which is very-nearly her lifetime best.
Best Times Progression:
| HS Best | NCAA Freshman Best |
NCAA Sophomore Best
|
|
| 50 free | 22.20 | 21.93 | 21.95 |
| 100 free | 49.24 | 47.75 | 48.31 |
| 200 free | 1:46.21 | 1:44.71 | 1:44.24 |
Parker improved in all three of her primary events at Georgia, with the biggest improvement coming in the 200 freestyle that the school has historically been best-known for.
Parker swam for Chelsea Piers in Connecticut for much of her youth before moving to suburban Chicago to finish her junior career (though she didn’t swim high school state meets there).
She was a captain of the 2019 U.S. team for the FINA World Junior Championships, where she won a gold medal on the mixed 400 free relay and a silver medal in the 50 free. She also won a 2018 Junior Pan-Pacs gold medal in the 50 free and has finaled at a number of national championship meets.
Her mom, Heather Parker, played basketball at Northwestern.
What’s the deal on these transfer portal folks going in-conference? Because South Carolina will be fairly active, I’d assume.
I think in her last two years of high school, her family move from the Chicago area to Connecticut and then from Connecticut to the Pittsburgh area. That’s not easy on a kid. Her family also may have moved back to Illinois from Pittsburgh. That’s a lot of moving. Correct me if I am wrong…..
Maxine is a level headed kid with great family and community support. She will shine wherever she goes next.
G Walsh / A Walsh / Douglass / Parker might actually break this year’s record. I’d buy a ticket to that show.
Lexi Cuomo might disagree. She was 21.80 flat start and 21.4 on the relay.
Ohio State! They have a great sprint program under coaches Matt & Bryon! Would be fun to see what someone with her abilities could do in Cbus.
Go Bucks!
Next it’s probably going to be Lily Gardner. She has 22/49/1:46 and was no where near that this year.
Just cause she’s not doing well athletically doesn’t me she doesn’t like it.
True
Seems like something is definitely up at UGA. Besides a handful of well known stars (Dakota Luther, Luca Urlando, Matthew Sates) the team was underwhelming this year. They brought in large talent in the freshman class like Gardner and they completely underperformed.
The team underperforms because all they do is party.
With Lucas reputation it doesn’t seem likely that partying is linked to performance in the pool….
A waste of talent if you asked me, seems like they only let her swim off events- 200im at Georgia Tech, 100fly, no 50, 100,200free until end of season.
NC State!
Travis transferred and made the US National Team.
Gallant transferred and was 2nd at NCAAS.
Webb transferred and was an all American.
Wasn’t she on several club teams in high school? Maybe she will never be happy? With timed finals for relays, I am not sure why anyone would scratch their ind event to save for a final swim…..but I don’t know any of the reasoning behind that decision.
Her family moved from Connecticut to Chicago during high school.
I believe the move was actually from suburban Chicago to Conn.
I doubt her family moving around was her decision. Also, UGA scratched one of their other relay swimmers from her races. Seems like maybe it was the coach’s decision since it’s something that happens often.
It was probably her coaches decision but it didn’t happen near as much this year because relays were timed finals.
Family was in Illinois from 2009-2018 where she hit 5 clubs. Nothing wrong with that, she just doesn’t stay in one place often.
I don’t know it’s accurate to say she swam for CPAC (CT) for much of her youth. In Illinois, she was on LFSC, RISE (CATS), PAC, WILD, and HPAC, hitting all the major clubs in the north burbs.
I think it’s important to be accurate in reporting… quick glance at USA database
2008-2009 SOCO (CT)
2009 SOCO to LFSC (IL)
2011 LFSC to WILD (IL)
2012-2014 WILD (IL)
2014 WILD to HPAC (IL)
2015 HPAC to PAC (IL)
2016-17 PAC (IL)
2018 CATS (IL)
2019 CPAC (CT)
Hopes she finds a home in college.
It’s funny that facts get downvotes.
Won’t be popular with many on here, but I thought UVA as well. She has connections with Kate Douglass (same club team) and she was a great rival with Gretchen Walsh at Jr Pan Pacs/ Jr Worlds.