Matt King, who recently finished his freshman season at the University of Alabama, has entered the NCAA transfer portal.
King, who we ranked 19th in the high school of 2020, saw immediate success as a member of the Crimson Tide. In just one season, his 50 free went from a 19.7o to a 18.96, and his 100 free improved from 43.22 to 41.63. King was part of a historically-great class of college freshmen sprinters, alongside Cal’s Bjorn Seeliger, Florida’s Adam Chaney and Virginia’s Matt Brownstead.
King ended the NCAA season as the 3rd-fastest freshman of all time in the 100 free, and just outside the top 5 ever in the 50 free. He scored 14 points at NCAAs, based on his 5th place finish in the 100 free, and was projected to score in the 50 free before drawing a disqualification for a false start.
Best Times in Yards:
- 50 free – 18.96
- 100 free – 41.63
- 200 free – 1:38.03
- 100 fly – 47.21
King graduated high school with yards bests of 19.70 in the 50 free and 43.22 in the 100 free.
Additionally, King led the Alabama men in individual scoring at the 2021 SEC Championships, taking 1st in 100 free, 2nd in the 50 free, and 12th in the 100 fly to earn a total of 75 points for the Crimson Tide. He was a key member of Alabama’s relays too, swimming on every relay except the 800 free relay, and he led off Alabama’s winning 400 free relay.
King initially verbally committed to Indiana, but switched his commitment to Alabama after Indiana assistant Coley Stickels was named the head coach at Alabama. Stickels resigned last December after 18 months as Alabama’s head coach.
This potentially adds to the uphill climb of new Alabama head coach Margo Geer, who takes over the program as her first paid coaching position. Since the start of the 2020-2021 academic year, 7 Alabama men have entered the NCAA transfer portal. That list includes Matt King, Colton Stogner, Andrew Shea, Lia Bell, Alec Dixon, and Nico Hernandez-Tome. Of that group, all but O’Connor and Shea are NCAA Championship qualifiers.
Being in the portal does necessarily not mean an athlete will transfer, just that they’re alerting other coaches that they are considering a move. Athletes have gone into the portal to ‘feel out’ their options before withdrawing their name.
This is one athlete I’d fly my airplane down to personally pick up and bring back to Bloomington, Indiana if he decided to be a Hoosier! As long as it abides by NCAA rules…
Then we could all watch Ray throw his clipboard at NCAAs if Matt didn’t meet his expectations. #burntheships
I’d co-pilot the plane if need be.
IU would be a great spot with Apple and Peroni pushing him each day. Florida as well after all the success at Trials.
Tired of the Cal and Texas excess. Go somewhere else.
Please come to Georgia Tech for no reason other than I want them to win more
I agree that he should go to GA Tech if he decides to not go to Indiana to be a Hoosier…
He needs to seriously look at LSU. New HC, coupled with Steve Mellor (sprint coach) staying on. The ability to train with, challenge, and be challenged by Brooks Curry everyday would bring out the best of both Matt and Brooks. Best-in-class sports nutrition center and strength training facilities at LSU. Lots of positive energy and new levels of support from the athletic department around that program right now after being one of only two SEC schools to place a swimmer on the men’s Olympic team.
That’s not a bad suggestion – though he’d have to sit out a year on an intraconference transfer, so that might not be ideal.
The SEC changed their intra-conference transfer rules at the spring AD/Presidents meetings. They now are in line with NCAA one time transfer rules even between SEC schools.
No way he goes to LSU
Why is he leaving Tuscaloosa though? The article didn’t say.
Margo
People from UVA, TENN, and AUB just followed him on IG… the game begins
He is so far above going to these underperforming MEN’s programs…
I think auburn would be the last place this guy goes
Nc state with this addition may just jump into the title conversation next year…
could help State finish fourth again….
This dude just became the biggest available recruit in ncaa swimming of maybe the last decade lol