A pair of Houston sophomores and Spanish club teammates have entered the NCAA transfer portal with the American Athletic Conference Championships less than two weeks away.
Laura Garcia Marin and Mai Ortega Bonilla, who came to Houston for the 2020-21 season as teammates from the Gredos San Diego club in Madrid, Spain, are both in the portal and no longer appear on the Cougars’ current roster.
Garcia Marin told SwimSwam she felt a culture change within the team this season, following the departure of former head coach Ryan Wochomurka, who left for Auburn, leading her to a lack of motivaiton which ultimately led her to the decision to move on.
After Wochmourka left, former Texas A&M associate head coach Tanica Jamison took over as the program’s new head coach in May.
Laura Garcia Marin
Garcia Marin had a breakout freshman year at Houston, leading her to win American Athletic Conference (AAC) Freshman of the Year honors.
The 19-year-old Spaniard was the runner-up in both the 500 free (4:47.90) and 400 IM (4:19.05) at the 2021 AACs, and added a sixth-place finish in the 1650 free (16:50.39). She also led off Houston’s winning 400 free relay (50.89) and 800 free relay (1:49.14) at the meet, as the Cougars won a fifth consecutive Women’s AAC title.
Garcia Marin has had a solid sophomore campaign up until this point of the season, placing fourth in both the 500 free and 400 IM at the Phill Hansel Invite in November, just off her times from last season. She also placed sixth in the 200 fly, recording a best time of 2:01.97.
Garcia Marin’s Best Times (SCY)
- 50 free – 24.63
- 100 free – 50.89
- 200 free – 1:49.14
- 500 free – 4:47.90
- 1650 free – 16:50.39
- 200 fly – 2:01.97
- 200 IM – 2:04.61
- 400 IM – 4:17.85
Mai Ortega Bonilla
Ortega Bonilla scored 31 points as a freshman at the 2021 AACs, highlighted by her third-place finish in the women’s 200 IM (2:01.65). She also placed ninth in the 400 IM (4:21.52) and 11th in the 200 fly (2:03.96), and had continued to improve as a sophomore.
At the Phill Hansel Invite in November, Ortega Bonilla set lifetime bests in the 200 IM (2:00.53) and 400 IM (4:17.27), placing third in both, and also did so in the 200 free (1:51.90).
She currently ranks second in the AAC in the 200 IM and third in the 400 IM this season.
Ortega Bonilla’s Best Times (SCY)
- 200 free – 1:51.90
- 100 fly – 55.94
- 200 fly – 2:02.84
- 200 IM – 2:00.53
- 400 IM – 4:17.26
Garcia Marin added that she’s looking for a new team “that supports you and makes your way easier,” and would preferably go to a program that has both a men’s and women’s team.
The Houston women have won five consecutive AAC championship titles, and will vie for a sixth later this month with the meet scheduled for Feb. 16-19, 2022, at SMU in Dallas, Texas.
$20 SwimSwam Bucks says they ends up at VT. Hopefully these transfers are better than the last busts for VT.
Next stop: Auburn
While the reasons for transfer are many and varied, I have to think that one of those reasons might be the state of the AAC. It does not strike me as a place where good swimmers can become great swimmers. Additionally, I suspect that Paris 2024 is somewhere in the background, so, IF you are going to go elsewhere, now is the time.
Maybe the conf is a factor, but an indv. team can overcome that — see, e.g., Texas/Big12
Next stop: Virginia Tech…
I hope so. The VT women have vastly under performed this year.
Can’t compete when you got no gas in one the four strokes.