2024 NCAA Division III ‘A’ finalist Anthony Fitzgerald will transfer to Division I USC for his COVID-19 fifth year. Fitzgerald spent his undergraduate career at Wheaton College in Illinois.
Fitzgerald had a huge junior season, winning his first conference titles as he swept the 200 IM, 100 breast, and 200 breast. He went on to swim at 2023 NCAAs, finishing 5th in the 200 breast in a 1:58.24. He also was 1oth in the 100 breast to score a total of 21 individual points.
This past season, he defended all three titles at the conference level. He finished even higher at NCAAs in both breaststroke events as he was 3rd in the 200 breast in a personal best 1:56.83. He also was 9th in the 100 breast in a 54.01 to score a total of 25 points.
Fitzgerald arrives to a USC team that will be in its first season in the Big Ten this fall. He joins the breaststroke group that was led by Ben Dillard (52.58/1:52.50) and Chris O’Grady (51.53/1:52.86) this past season. Both Dillard and O’Grady return this fall as well. Fitzgerald’s best times in both breaststroke events would sit behind Dillard and O’Grady. USC only had three individual qualifiers at 2024 NCAAs, with Dillard and O’Grady being two of them.
Fitzgerald joins a solid list of some of the top Division III swimmers being able to use the COVID-19 fifth year to swim at the Division I level. This past season, Tanner Fillion made headlines for Notre Dame after winning during his Division III undergraduate career and then made the Division I ‘B’ final of the 200 back.
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