Isabel Ivey Transferring from Cal to Florida for Fifth Year in 2023-24

NCAA runner-up Isabel Ivey is transferring from Cal to Florida for her fifth year of collegiate eligibility during the 2023-24 season, although she’ll arrive in Gainesville later this month to begin training with the pro group on campus. 

The move marks a return home for Ivey, who grew up in Gainesville and was SwimSwam’s No. 1 recruit in the class of 2019 at Buchholtz High School. It also continues the Gator family legacy as her mom, Daedre Sullivan, swam at Florida along with current head coach Anthony Nesty. 

“It’s just a really cool full circle moment to go there for my last year of collegiate swimming,” Ivey said. “When I called (Nesty) and committed — he might get mad at me for saying this — but he got a little emotional. He just thought it was the coolest thing because he and my mom were training partners at UF when they swam for Randy Reese. They were always together doing those crazy, ridiculous, famous fly sets that Anthony is known for. So there’s that legacy at Florida that I’m excited to continue.”

Ivey entered the transfer portal over the summer after Cal head coach Teri McKeever was placed on administrative leave amid a still-ongoing investigation. She has been committed to the Gators for months now, but only just announced her decision publicly due to uncertainty surrounding the Bears’ program. 

Now Ivey’s family won’t have to fly across the country for meets, and her great-grandparents will have the opportunity to see her swim collegiately for the first time ever. In the pool, she’ll be surrounded by one of the best pro groups in the country featuring Katie Ledecky, Natalie Hinds, and Kieran Smith. 

“That pro group is absolutely insane,” Ivey said. “I think for my events, it made the most sense to go there and learn from literally the best in the world. Florida’s doing a really good job, their women’s program is getting better every year and the men continue to thrive. So I’m just excited to learn and be a part of something really special. 

“There’s a lot of goals I haven’t been able to achieve in long course, and that’s for various reasons,” he added. “But I just think that I’ll be setting myself up in the best way for success in long course as well as short course by training with that group. I’m over the moon about it.”

At the 2022 NCAA championships, Ivey made finals in all three of her individual swims. Ivey finished second in the 200 freestyle (1:41.59), third in the 200 IM (1:53.02), and 13th in the 100 free (47.71). Notably, Ivey was also Cal’s highest individual scorer as she scored a total of 37 points.

At the 2022 Pac-12 Championships, Ivey also was Cal’s highest scorer with 87 individual points. Ivey won the 200 freestyle (1:42.29), finished second in the 200 IM (1:53.54), and was third in the 100 freestyle (47.53).

Ivey’s time progression in short-course yards:

Ivey’s personal-best times in the 100 free (46.95), 200 free (1:41.35), 100 back (50.42), 100 fly (50.68), and 200 IM (1:53.02) would all be school records at Florida.

Ivey took several months off after NCAAs before returning last month at the World Cup stop in Indianapolis. She placed 6th in the 100 IM (59.15) and 8th in the 200 IM (2:09.41). It was her first time swimming both events in short-course meters. 

“I’m lucky and blessed to be versatile, so I’ll do whatever the team needs me to do,” Ivey said when asked about what events she might focus on at Florida. “We’ll figure it out as a team.”

The Gator women placed fifth at SECs last season and 13th at NCAAs. With the addition of Ivey and top recruit Bella Sims, Florida is poised to make the leap into the top 10 teams in the nation next year.