Indiana’s Will Gallant and Jakub Karl, Both B1G Scorers, Enter Transfer Portal

Two members of the Indiana University swimming & diving program, Will Gallant and Jakub Karl, have recently entered the NCAA transfer portal, meaning they intend to change schools.

WILL GALLANT

Gallant, originally from Connecticut, competed for the Hoosiers one season (2019-20). He tells SwimSwam that he’s planning to take this year off, training with Mission Viejo Nadadores in California, before he decides where he wants to go for the 2021-22 season and beyond. He has three years of eligibility remaining.

I would like to thank my former teammates at Indiana and their amazing coaching staff for such a tremendous opportunity. I’m extremely grateful for everything and I wish them best of luck in the future.

TOP TIMES

  • 200 free – 1:40.96
  • 500 free – 4:20.08
  • 1000 free – 8:56.47
  • 1650 free – 14:49.00

Gallant finished fifth at the 2020 Big Ten Championships in the 1650 free (15:00.07) and was a B-finalist in the 500 free. His lifetime bests in the 500 free, mile and 1000 free (from his mile best split) all came from the 2019 Tennessee Invitational, the mid-season invite that IU attended last year.

In long course, Gallant has Olympic Trials cuts in the 400 free (3:54.90), 800 free (8:04.27) and 1500 free (15:33.92). All of those times were done at the 2019 U.S. Summer Nationals, where he touched 16th in the mile and 19th in the 800 free.

JAKUB KARL

Karl, who is Czech-born but came to Indiana from Hamilton Aquatics in Dubai, has competed with Indiana for two seasons. He doesn’t yet have plans for returning to the NCAA with a new program, but he says he’s working to get back to a college and college team as soon as he finds the right option for him.

I’m making this decision because I’ve realized [Indiana] is not the right place for me. That being said, I have never met such a passionate group of coaches. Ray, Cory and John have been nothing but supportive. I am so grateful for them being able to coach me even if it was for a short period of time. Right now I am looking for a school that is the right fit for me and where I think I can achieve my Olympic dream, and I will not rush that process.

TOP TIMES

  • 50 free – 20.71
  • 100 free – 44.05
  • 200 free – 1:35.41
  • 500 free – 4:21.18
  • 200 fly – 1:46.88

Karl competed at the 2019 and 2020 Big Ten Championships for the Hoosiers. In 2019, he scored in the 200 free and 500 free B-finals and the 200 fly C-final, hitting lifetime bests in the 200 free and 200 fly. He made the 200 free B-final again in 2020, placing a career-high 11th place, while he was a C-finalist in the 500 free and didn’t score in the 200 fly.

The Hoosiers still return junior Mikey Calvillo (4:15.9/14:46.2), their top distance swimmer last year. They also expect to have Michael Brinegar back from his Olympic gap year; Brinegar was the 2019 NCAA 1650 free runner-up.

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Hmm
4 years ago

Turnstile U.

Swimmom
4 years ago

Well here we go again IU transfers! No problem go to ziU

swimfan210_
4 years ago

When an article is more about the comments than the actual article…

Wishing both young men success wherever they end up.

BLUE GATORADE
4 years ago

People don’t quit jobs, they quit bosses. Same thing is true here. Ray does not treat everyone fairly or nicely.

Admin
Reply to  BLUE GATORADE
4 years ago

The last job I quit, I had a fantastic boss, who I still have a great relationship with. I absolutely, 100%, unequivocally quit the job.

BLUE GATORADE
Reply to  Braden Keith
4 years ago

I absolutely 100% unequivocally quit Ray Looze

SwimFani
Reply to  BLUE GATORADE
4 years ago

“Ray does not treat everyone fairly or nicely” THIS CAN BE SAID OF EVERY PERSON!!! Ray has proven himself to be an amazing coach, passionate recruiter, great advocate of IU, awesome Father and Husband. He is one of the few transparent NCAA coaches who tells media, friends and detractors who he is and how he runs his program. He is real, unlike so many of the phones baloney coaches who put up a fake and disingenuous front. GO IU, GO RAY!!!

BLUE GATORADE
Reply to  SwimFani
4 years ago

I can understand that some people like him and have a good relationship with him (eg. Guerra). That’s your life and your relationship with him. At the same time, there are other people who don’t like him. I was on the team and my opinion of him is that he is manipulative and fake. That’s my opinion.

Last edited 4 years ago by BLUE GATORADE
SwimFani
Reply to  BLUE GATORADE
4 years ago

Your opinion could be slanted against this fine man from circumstances due to lack of mental toughness or even mental trauma dissociated with anything to do with Coach Ray the magnificent! I certainly hope you recover and learn to offer grace.

BLUE GATORADE
Reply to  SwimFani
4 years ago

Nice one haha. But this article is not about me.

The kids who transfer definitely have the mental toughness to take themselves out of a situation that’s not right for them. No one will reward you later in life if you suffer through 4 years of Ray Looze.

Guerra
4 years ago

I’m going to state this very simple for all you slappys out there… Ray Looze is the best coach in the country…PERIOD. He has consistently, more than any college coach in the country, done more with less YEAR AFTER YEAR and the results and accomplishments speak for themselves.

AuggieBuschFan
Reply to  Guerra
4 years ago

Guess the ability a coach has to make fast swimmers really doesn’t matter when they all leave lol

bobbyv
Reply to  Guerra
4 years ago

Absolutely no one who knows even a shred about high level swimming would agree with you. Ray doesn’t even coach most of those pros and never has.

SwimFani
Reply to  bobbyv
4 years ago

You are wrong as I do know much about high level swimming and believe Ray to be a masterful and ethical coach.

Daddy
Reply to  Guerra
4 years ago

There’s a reason he does more with less. This “less” is obviously not in regard to facilities or talent, considering he is no slouch at recruiting stars like Brendan Burns. The reason he works with less is because he has shown time and time again that retaining swimmers who are fringe conference finalists (and now, apparently, everyone except A-finalists) is not a priority of his. He does seem to make it work and is clearly a stellar coach, but his attitude is quite obviously a productive one for a college coach.

Swimfan
Reply to  Guerra
4 years ago

Guerra, You’re nothin’ but a silly goose.

Thezwimmer
4 years ago

Who are we the commenters to judge these athletes on their personal decisions? Everyone has his or her own experiences and just because you may have had or seen a different viewpoint doesn’t invalidate that original person’s feelings.

Rather than bashing swimmer or coach, we should applaud the successes of Indiana swimming as well as the successes of these swimmers where ever they may end up. Best of luck!

Old Rocket Swimmer
Reply to  Thezwimmer
4 years ago

Thanks Matt

thezwimmer
Reply to  Old Rocket Swimmer
4 years ago

Who’s Matt?

6-Beat Kick
4 years ago

Just from I’ve heard from friends in the program a little while back; It’s a solid as all get out program, but unless you are part of the A-team, you don’t matter all too much.

JCO
Reply to  6-Beat Kick
4 years ago

But even people on the “A-team” are transferring out. Dupre and now Gallant. Both of those swimmers were A finalists at B1Gs

everyones talking
4 years ago

Andrew Brinegar?

everyones talking
Reply to  everyones talking
4 years ago

thanks for changing.

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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