2020 Olympic medalist and 2024 NCAA champion Bella Sims is transferring to Michigan after spending her freshman and sophomore seasons at Florida. Michigan made the announcement on Instagram, posting her signing. She joins the Wolverines for the 2025-2026 season with 2 remaining years of eligibility.
The addition of Sims is monumental for a Michigan program that will be heading into its 3rd year under the direction of head coach Matt Bowe this fall. Sims was the NCAA champion in both the 200 free (1:40.90) and 500 free (4:32.47) in 2024, when she was a freshman at Florida. She also placed 3rd (1:48.47) in the 200 back at the 2024 NCAA Championships. This past season, Sims leaned more heavily into backstroke, taking 2nd in both the 100 back (49.12) and 200 back (1:47.11) at NCAAs.
It’s also worth mentioning that Sims split 1:39.55 on the 2nd leg of Florida’s 800 free relay at the SEC Championships back in February, which is the 3rd-fastest split in history. She’s also the SEC record holder in the 200 free, 100 back, and 200 back.
Here is a look at Sims career bests in yards:
Bella Sims Career Bests, SCY:
- 50 free – 21.88
- 100 free – 46.53
- 200 free – 1:40.78
- 500 free – 4:28.64
- 50 back – 23.25
- 100 back – 48.97
- 200 back – 1:47.11
- 200 fly – 1:51.06
- 200 IM – 1:51.86
- 400 IM – 3:56.59
Sims is an incredibly versatile swimmer. She’s been NCAA champion in the 200 and 500 free, and runner-up in the 100 and 200 back. She’s also a 46.53 100 freestyler (would have been 3rd at 2025 NCAAs), 1:51.06 200 flyer (would have been 3rd at 2025 NCAAs), 1:51.86 200 IM’er (would have been 4th at 2025 NCAAs), and 3:56.59 400 IM’er (would have been 1st at 2025 NCAAs). She could be a huge asset for the Wolverines pretty anywhere, although, using her on backstroke does appear to be the biggest upside for Michigan right now. Michigan’s top sprint backstroker from this past season, Casey Chung, was a 5th year, and therefore will not be returning next season. Chung was 23.77 in the 50 back and 51.42 in the 100 for the Wolverines this past season, so Sims would mark a significant boost at the top end of the Wolverine backstroke group.
Her impact on the Wolverine relays, which have already done quite well during Bowe’s first two seasons as head coach, should be massive as well. Michigan’s best relay this past season was the 400 free relay, where they came in 4th at NCAAs (3:09.07). The Wolverines lose their last two legs from last year, however. Claire Newman was 47.28 on the 3rd leg and Lindsay Flynn was 46.91 on the anchor. Being a 46.53 individual 100 freestyler, Sims more than makes up for one of those losses. Couple that with rising senior Christey Liang being a 48.28 100 freestyler and incoming freshman Nina Jazy being a 52.93 SCM 100 freestyler, and Michigan should be able to be even faster in 400 free next season.
Sims will provide a huge boost to the medley relays as well. However, the relay where he addition is perhaps the most exciting is the 800 free. In that relay, Michigan will be pairing Sims with Stephanie Balduccini, who came in 3rd in the 200 free at the 2025 NCAAs with a 1:40.89. That will give the Wolverines 2 swimmers on that relay who are 1:40 in the individual 200 free. Michigan came in 5th in the 800 free relay at NCAAs last season, with their slowest leg being a 1:44.63 and everyone returning, so they should make a huge jump in that event next season.
Sims brings big international credentials as well. Sims was a silver medalist at the Tokyo 2020 (2021) Olympics, swimming on the prelims 4×200 free relay. She’s a 3-time World Championships medalist as well, having won gold on the US 4×200 free relay at the 2022 World Champs, and having won a pair of silver medals on the 4×200 free relay and mixed 4×100 free relay at the 2023 championships.
Bella Sims Career Bests, LCM:
- 100 free – 53.73
- 200 free – 1:55.45
- 400 free – 4:03.25
- 800 free – 8:22.36
- 50 back – 28.57
- 100 back – 1:00.30
- 200 back – 2:11.39
- 200 IM – 2:12.15
- 400 IM – 4:43.46
A native of Las Vegas, Sims will join fellow alums of the Sandpipers of Nevada club team Rebecca Diaconescu and Josh Brown in Ann Arbor.
Most recently, Sims competed at the Pro Swim Series in Fort Lauderdale, where she went 1:58.31 in the 200 free, 55.46 in the 100 free, 28.57 in the 50 back, 1:00.30 in the 100 back, and 2:13.57 in the 200 IM.
Sims joins a Michigan 2027 class that also features All-Americans Stephanie Balduccini and Hannah Bellard. In 2024, Michigan finished 3rd at the women’s Big Ten Championships and 9th at NCAAs.
As a Wisconsin fan I’m excited to see the big 10 get someone so exciting. It’s nice to see such an elite swimmer commit somewhere other than UVA, Texas or Stanford. Parity FTW
She’ll be a bigger fish in this pond and will be with a program that has had recent success with the relay distance freestyles – which is what she’s trending towards. I have a good feeling about this move.
The whole thread is full of Bella Sims boyfriend reference.
Since I’m not in USA and not well versed in NCAA, I have to ask an important question:
Who is Bella Sims’s boyfriend?
https://swimswam.com/two-time-ncaa-champion-bella-sims-transferring-to-michigan/#comment-1555447
its giving me the ick. theyre trying to distract from the fact bella chose michigan on the basis of the programs resurgence and recent performances, something most casual observers of swimming might not be clued in on. not to mention they prob threw a lot of money at her lol
Both things can be true.
I, personally, have no objection to someone choosing a school because they have friends/significant others there. Best way to get an unfiltered view, because recruiting trips are often not a great way to sus out the true picture of a program. Happy swimmers make fast swimmers, right? I think Jon Urbanchek, THE Michigan man, would support that. I think that ignoring the fact that her boyfriend goes there also risks de-humanizing athletes. Wanting to not live thousands of miles from your boyfriend is a perfectly normal human thing to feel. We don’t have to make it the full story, but we don’t have to ignore it either.
The fact that her boyfriend goes to a… Read more »
I’m thrilled for Michigan having Bella join the program. I’m looking forward to seeing her post about it and hearing about her decision process and what she’s excited about.
Make sure you post a link to the Michigan Fight Song for all the Ohio State fans.
Two Things:
1: does she realize how cold it is up there in the winter?
2: it’s dumb to pick where ur going to college based off where your BF goes.
I get the feeling the last 4 comments are from the same dude
It’s really not that difficult…..coming from someone who moved from AZ to MI (120° summers) I am just fine and love the snow/seasons. Let’s try to support and uplift YOUNG athletes. She deserves to have a great team like what michigan is now. I sure wish i had it!
Be kind xoxo
1. Dress warm
2. Love will find a way
#2 is a stupid comment. Regardless of her bf, Michigan is an elite academic institution with a top 10 swim team. Where is the mistake?
Yeah I mean…if her boyfriend went to Texas Tech and she chose to follow him, okay. But like…she’s going to the University of Michigan, a historic swim program that’s on the rise and an elite public academic institution?? It’s like people forget that while Michigan has been up-and-down the last decade, they are a swimming blue-blood.
I can think of a lot dumber reasons to pick a college. Having two former club teammates there who can give you the real story is actually an elite reason to make a decision. If her boyfriend thought the training was whack and that the coaches were verbally abusive, I don’t think he’d tell her to come there.
Academically Michigan is thought of as a better school than Florida so there’s that…
Following the boyfriend to school is a risky idea, best of luck. Go buckeyes.
It’s the University of Michigan not Podunk University. “Hail to the victors valiant”, you know.
Not as risky as getting the boyfriend’s name tattooed on her.
Chat she might be washed now, you have no idea how good 2020 Bella Sims was!
If Katie Ledecky can break a World Record in the W 800 FR (LCM) after nearly nine years at the age of 28, Bella Sims can at least bounce back in the W 200 FR (LCM).
Sweetie hunny bunny,
Katie Ledecky is the greatest female swimmer of all time.
I lol’ed at this. If Katie Ledecky can do it anyone can!
I suppose it’s possible, but Katie is the exception rather than the rule.
Transferring for the boyfriend is crazy, best of luck, but time to start then job applications.
First, Bella Sims needs to acquire a college diploma.
Second, I’ll order a bacon cheeseburger, large fries, and a large coke. Hold the pickles.
She’s making 7 figures. I think you may need the application.