6x individual Division II Champion Ben Sampson will transfer from Colorado Mesa to Texas to use his COVID-19 fifth year, he announced on Instagram on Sunday, April 7th.
“I am super excited to announce I will be continuing my swimming career at the University of Texas🤘🏽. I would like to thank @coach_bowman for this once in a lifetime opportunity. I could not be more excited to spend my final year of eligibility as a longhorn! #hookem“
Sampson spent his undergraduate career at Colorado Mesa. This past off-season he entered the transfer portal, and visited schools such as Texas, Cal, and Arizona State, but decided to stay at CMU. At the time, Sampson had told SwimSwam that he was “going to stay one more year,” and he did just that.
This past season, Sampson won four individual Division II titles, helping CMU to a 5th place finish as a team. He won the 100 back, 200 back, 200 IM, and 400 IM a month ago at NCAAs. Sampson set Division II records in both the 400 IM and 200 back. He won the 400 IM in a 3:40.22 and the 200 back in a 1:40.34.
Best Times Progression (times adjusted for altitude where appropriate):
| HS BEST | 1ST YEAR AT CMU | 2ND YEAR AT CMU | 3RD YEAR AT CMU | 4th Year at CMU | |
| 50 free | 22.06 | 20.01 | 20.1 | 19.89 | 20.04 |
| 100 free | 47.12 | 44.53 | 45.34 | 44.15 | 43.63 |
| 200 free | 1:44.16 | 1:44.75 | 1:38.46 | 1:35.58 | 1:35.08 |
| 100 back | 52.21 | 47.92 | 46.36 | 46.06 | 45.88 |
| 200 back | 1:57.36 | N/A | 1:42.68 | 1:39.97 | 1:40.34 |
| 200 IM | N/A | N/A | 1:46.41 | 1:43.76 | 1:41.92 |
| 400 IM | N/A | N/A | N/A | 3:45.23 | 3:40.22 |
Sampson’s best times would already score at Division I NCAAs. It took a 45.20 in the 100 back, a 1:39.92 in the 200 back, 1:42.07 in the 200 IM, and 3:41.91 in the 400 IM to make the B final. Sampson’s best time in the 400 IM would have went on to finish 12th in the event.
The Texas men had 0 swimmers in the 400 IM this year so the addition of Sampson will be big for the team. In the 200 IM, only Nate Germonprez made finals as he was 7th in the A final. Germonprez just finished up his freshman season. Sampson’s best time would make the B final of the 200 IM.
Sampson is the first public commit for Texas under the new “Bowman era” as Bob Bowman was announced Director of Swimming on Monday, April 1st upon the retirement of Eddie Reese.
Sampson looks to be another swimmer to move from Division II or Division III and into Division I making NCAAs and even potentially finaling. This past season, Notre Dame’s Tanner Fillion went from a Division III Champion to making the Division I B final of the 200 backstroke.
I can’t stop laughing! All the naysayers chuntering about the demise of UT/Longhorns
— I would say things are decidedly looking up. . . .And her come the down votes, ha, ha, ha. . . . .
The one thing you can’t buy at Texas is team culture, heard they still looking for a way to buy that one
Who said Texas was on the demise with their new coach? Zero people
What are you talking about?
This is such a straw man. Texas has undisputedly been declining from their top-2 form for the last couple of years. People have noticed and commented on that fact. Texas now has a new coach who will likely be bringing stars from ASU with him. And transfers. And new recruits. Now Texas will rebound. This isn’t complicated.
Not bad for a summer club and HS swimmer who never swam year round until his senior year in HS.
Very similar situation to Tanner Fillion at Notre Dame.
Wow his improvement curve is insane. I have a feeling we’ll be talking about him a lot next March.
Was just going to say this. I love the pure improvement a swimmer like this makes. Sky is the limit with an upgrade in training and training teammates! No shade to his former team cause dang! Doing something right there!
The improvement curve reminds me of Conner Dwyer. I think he was something like 1:43/4:43 200/500 coming out HS.
Hopefully he’s not doping like Dwyer
Ben is a legend
I feel like a transfer like this especially to Bob could catapult him to an individual NCAA title (if Leon doesn’t come back next season) especially with how fast he already is coming off a huge D2 nationals.
Texas 4 IM will be nuts. David Johnston, Cooper Lucas, Ben Sampson, Kos if he swims it.
Yup and save Leon Marchand for the 100 breast
You mean Leon Marchand, the pro swimmer?
Marchand confirmed to SMU
That doesn’t ever get old. Thanks for the laugh.
IT’S BEGUN!