Avery Luedke will join the Alabama women for the upcoming 2026-2027 season. Luedke just spent her freshman season with fellow-SEC program Tennessee.
“I’m so excited to announce that I will be continuing my academic and athletic career at the University of Alabama!
I’d like to give a huge thank you to the Tennessee coaching staff for giving me the opportunity to be a Lady Vol and to all of my friends and family for supporting me throughout this process. I’m so thankful for my time at Tennessee and I will always be proud to be a LVFL.
I’m grateful for the journey that led me here, and so excited for this next chapter! Roll Tide!!”
Luedke is originally from Illinois and arrived in Knoxville last fall. She swam a season best 4:49.31 in the 500 free during the team’s midseason invite. Her season best in the 1650 free of a 16:33.91 came at Winter Juniors in December. She did not swim at the 2026 SEC Championships and instead finished her season at Tennessee’s Last Chance meet.
Her lifetime bests still stand from high school as she swam a 4:48.42 500 free in November 2024 during her high school season and a 16:30.28 1650 free in March 2025 at NCSAs.
Luedke’s Best Times:
| High School | At Tennessee | |
| 500 free | 4:48.42 | 4:49.31 |
| 1650 free | 16:30.28 | 16:33.91 |
The Alabama women finished 4th out of 13 teams at the 2026 SEC Championships, two spots behind Tennessee’s 2nd place finish. Alabama was led by Emily Jones who tallied 80 individual points including a 2nd place finish in the 100 back with a 50.59.
Based on her best times from high school, Luedke would have been 17th in the 1650 free and 24th in the 500 free. Alabama scored 33 points in the 1650 free and 13 in the 500 free at 2026 SECs. Her 1650 free from Winter Juniors this past season would have been 19th.
Wow. A transfer from Knoxville to T-town hasn’t occurred since 1990.