University of Iowa school record-holder Millie Sansome is transferring to the University of Georgia after one season with the Hawkeyes. A few weeks ago, Iowa announced the shuttering of the men’s and women’s swimming & diving programs, and Sansome is the first true transfer since that news broke.
TOP TIMES (SCY)
- 200 free – 1:52.88
- 500 free – 4:49.36
- 50 back – 25.10
- 100 back – 53.21
- 200 back – 1:54.86
- 200 IM – 2:04.02
- 400 IM – 4:17.53
Sansome is a native of the United Kingdom, and she set Iowa program records in both backstrokes as a freshman in Iowa City. She broke the 200 back record on more than one occasion, becoming the first Hawkeye to go under 1:56 in the event, landing at a 1:54.86 at the 2020 Big Ten Championships. In the 100 back, her 53.21 set the school mark and made her just the fourth Iowa women to go under 54 in the event.
At the 2020 Big Ten Championships, Sansome qualified for the A-final of the 200 back, ultimately placing eighth (1:55.29) after going a lifetime best 1:54.86 in prelims. She also competed in the 400 IM, touching 26th at 400 IM (4:21.39) and 40th in the 500 free (4:52.58). With her 53.21 school record lead-off leg, she helped set the Iowa school mark in the 400 medley relay at Big Tens, and split a 1:47.04 on the Hawkeyes’ school-record 800 free relay.
Sansome would’ve been Georgia’s #3 100 backstroker and #4 200 backstroker last season. She would’ve made B-finals in both backstroke events at the 2020 SEC Championships.
Good for her! The real question is why aren’t the others, or perhaps, when are the others?
It’s been about 2 weeks – that’s about when we’ve seen them crop up with other programs. There’s a week of grief, a week of believing the program will be saved, then you’ve gotta call other coaches – 2 weeks is actually pretty quick in my mind.
Think it said the program will be cut after 2021 so maybe a few a staying around for this year and are starting to look for another school for next year?