Faith Knelson Enters NCAA Transfer Portal After Medical Redshirt

Canadian breaststroker and Pan American Games participant Faith Knelson has entered the NCAA transfer portal after being a member of the University of Arizona program during the 2020-21 season.

TOP TIMES (SCY)

  • 100 breast – 1:00.60
  • 200 breast – 2:16.55

Knelson competed at one meet with the Arizona Wildcats during the 2020-21 season, joining the team in fall 2020 after deferring the 2019-20 season to focus on making the originally scheduled 2020 Olympics.

Knelson hit her breaststroke SCY bests at a meet in December 2020, during a hectic fall semester where many NCAA programs did not race due to the COVID-19 pandemic in the United States. In January, she took to Instagram to announce that a spinal injury led her to medically redshirt the remainder of the season and that she’d be missing the Canadian Olympic Trials, too.

For Team Canada, Knelson competed at high-profile meets like the 2017 World Junior Championships and the 2019 Pan American Games. She took silver medals in the 50m breast (30.91) and 100m breast (1:07.47) at World Juniors, and she followed that with a bronze at Pan Ams in the 100m breast (1:07.42).

Knelson has told SwimSwam she is still exploring her options for her next steps.

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JollyLoveGood
2 years ago

Nobody knows why and everyone speculates like they know why

Last edited 2 years ago by JollyLoveGood
swimmer
Reply to  JollyLoveGood
2 years ago

We know why.

swimfan234
Reply to  swimmer
2 years ago

Bad behaviour should NEVER be tolerated on any team.

Last edited 2 years ago by swimfan234
Swimmer
Reply to  swimfan234
2 years ago

What did she do🌝

JollyLoveGood
Reply to  swimmer
2 years ago

Obviously people DO know why! I am saying that commenters on here (not you) are assuming her leaving was a.) her choice… therefore… b.) a bad reflection of Arizona and c.) a ‘kudos’ to her moment. People just always assume that stuff and there is always a way bigger story behind the scenes.

swimfan234
Reply to  JollyLoveGood
2 years ago

Much bigger story you are right about that

Last edited 2 years ago by swimfan234
Purr Purr
2 years ago

How many girls have to leave Arizona before people (admin) take notice?

Lily
Reply to  Purr Purr
2 years ago

People leave on their own in every program – don’t get it confused with those who were kicked off, as that is the case in some scenarios. Coach Busch takes pride in the program no room for bad behaviour.

Lily
Reply to  Purr Purr
2 years ago

That’s all 🙂

Last edited 2 years ago by Lily
Deee
2 years ago

With a broken spine too

Guerra
2 years ago

The Busch boys run their teams like an Animal House fraternity…

Lisa
2 years ago

Knelson is someone who had such great success at a young age, and was projected to make 2020. I am not surprised that Arizona, let alone Busch didn’t have a clue as to how to keep her progression going.

Fish out of Water
Reply to  Lisa
2 years ago

False

Last edited 2 years ago by Fish out of Water
Stewie
Reply to  Lisa
2 years ago

Arizona hasn’t had an elite BR swimmer since Chandler, over a decade ago. #buscheffect

Crissy
Reply to  Stewie
2 years ago

Kevin Cordes wasn’t too shabby.

Stewie
Reply to  Crissy
2 years ago

Arizona hasn’t had an elite BR swimmer … ON THE WOMEN’S SIDE… since Chandler, over a decade ago…

Speculating
Reply to  Crissy
2 years ago

Was Kevin Cordes an Augie Busch-trained swimmer? That’s the more relevant question.

Stewie
Reply to  Speculating
2 years ago

I believe that Cordes – one of the all time great BR swimmers – had long since graduated before “Shrub” arrived in 2017(?).

Lily
Reply to  Lisa
2 years ago

Don’t think it has anything to do with the program. Maybe she didn’t make 2020 on her own accord. Not the coach, it’s the athlete.

COVID
2 years ago

The article doesn’t say why she’s leaving?

Swimfan234
Reply to  COVID
2 years ago

Apparently it’s “hush hush” but if you know you know…

swimfan234
Reply to  COVID
2 years ago

It’s quite the story.

Stewie
2 years ago

Of all the places a world class breaststroker could go, Arizona is not anywhere near the top. Smart decision to get out of there…

Last edited 2 years ago by Stewie
CanSwim13
Reply to  Stewie
2 years ago

Yeah as a Canadian swim fan, low-key happy to see her not stay at Arizona…

Excited to see what her decision is !

Hswimmer
2 years ago

That’s rough

About Karl Ortegon

Karl Ortegon

Karl Ortegon studied sociology at Wesleyan University in Middletown, CT, graduating in May of 2018. He began swimming on a club team in first grade and swam four years for Wesleyan.

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