NCAA Fall Season Marked By Notable Absences

The NCAA season this fall has been almost as focused on who’s not swimming as on who is. That’s because a number of key contributors have been absent, some mysteriously, for the bulk of their team’s fall dual meets.

Here’s a look at the bigger names we’ve been asking around about, along with any updates we’ve received from their programs on potential return dates:

Simone Manuel, Stanford

  • Absence: injury
  • Return date: unclear

Coming off a world title in the 100 free, Manuel hasn’t yet competed for the Cardinal. She was slated to compete for the Pac-12 all-star team at the US College Challenge, but withdrew due to a “mild injury”, according to Stanford. We were told in mid-October that Manuel was still training at Stanford and was “excited to get back to competition soon.” The team’s next meet is the Art Adamson Invite at Texas A&M on Nov 16-18.

Cierra Runge, Wisconsin

  • Absence: unknown
  • Return date: unclear

U.S. Olympian and World Champs team member Runge hasn’t competed for the Badgers yet this year, and the school hasn’t given any info on her absence. Runge swam a prelims leg of the 4×200 free relay for Team USA at the World Championships, but has not competed since. She turned down a spot on the World University Games team, which would have taken place in late August.

Gunnar Bentz, Georgia

  • Absence: injury
  • Return date: unclear

Yet another U.S. Olympian, Bentz broke his collarbone and is out of competition for the time being. When we originally reported on his injury, Bentz said that he could be back in the water kicking by mid-October, and expected to be back to training “within a month to a month and a half.” That would put him back to full training sometime this month, though he may not be back to competing until the second semseter.

G Ryan, Michigan

  • Absence: injury
  • Return date: Dec 1-3

An All-American distance freestyler, Ryan hasn’t officially competed since June. We reached out to the school on their absence, and were told that Ryan is returning from an injury and should return within the month. The school said Ryan’s likely return meet is the Georgia Invite from December 1-3. A returning Ryan give a reloaded Michigan squad outside potential for a top-5 finish at NCAAs.

Carsten Vissering, USC

  • Absence: study abroad
  • Return date: January

Considered a contender for the NCAA 100 breast title, Vissering hasn’t yet competed for USC this season and in fact hasn’t raced since last year’s NCAA meet in March of 2017. The school told us that Vissering is studying abroad in Australia this semester but is expected to rejoin competition in the spring. After not competing over the summer, though, Vissering will be returning from more than 9 months off of racing.

Megan Moroney, Virginia

  • Absence: injury
  • Return date: unclear

A five-time All-American and ACC relay champ in 2016, Moroney sat out nearly all of last year with an injury. She returned to swim just one race – a very solid 52.86 100 backstroke – at the Georgia Invite last December and then did not compete again in the spring or summer. She hasn’t raced yet with Virginia this season, and a school rep told us they had no information on if or when Moroney could return this year.

Liz Li, Ohio State

  • Absence: Chinese national team obligations
  • Return date: January

Big Ten champ and All-American sprinter Li has actually already graduated from Ohio State, though she still has one year of NCAA eligibility remaining. Li is currently back home in China “fulfilling training obligations with her national team,” per an Ohio State press release. Li is expected to return to Ohio State and begin grad school in January, rejoining the team for one more NCAA postseason at that time.

Megan Byrnes, Stanford

  • Absence: injury
  • Return date: unclear

An NCAA All-American and 3rd-placer in the mile as a freshman, Byrnes hasn’t yet competed this fall. A Stanford rep tells us Byrnes is currently dealing with an injury but is hopeful to be back to competition in the spring.

Brandonn Almeida, South Carolina

  • Absence: unknown
  • Return date: unclear

Brazil’s former world junior record-holder could be an NCAA finals contender in the mile and the 400 IM, among other things. He hasn’t yet competed this fall and a school rep had no information on his current status.

Courtney Caldwell, NC State

  • Absence: unknown
  • Return date: unclear

A relay All-American and individual point-scorer for NC State as a sophomore, Caldwell has been absent from the team’s meet results. An e-mail to the program’s media relations rep hasn’t yet been returned.

Maddy Banic, Tennessee

The Vols best sprinter a year ago, Banic had a scare on day 3 of NCAAs, getting taken from the pool deck on a stretcher and ushered into an ambulance. She didn’t compete further at NCAAs but did return to swim three meets over the summer, including U.S. Nationals. She hasn’t competed this fall, though, and is not listed on Tennessee’s roster. The school hasn’t yet returned our request for comment.

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tea rex
6 years ago

Haven’t seen Kirsten Vose for USC yet. She had a mammoth freshman year in 2016 (how many 59. breaststrokers can go 1:43 low?), but fell off in 2017.

swammer
6 years ago

Any news on why Schooling didn’t swim for Texas in their loss to A&M? They lost big points in his absence.

SwimPhan
6 years ago

Good point about Vissering and what could be a long absence from training. But is there a remote possibility he might just find a pool in Australia and at least be doing some maintenance workouts? Can’t see Carsten spending all his time in the classroom, the library or at the surfing beach. Especially since his studies would be at the undergraduate level. Being in the water is part of a swimmer’s DNA. I also suspect coach Salo will be checking in periodically.

dmswim
Reply to  SwimPhan
6 years ago

He’s posted quite a few videos on his Instagram of him in the weight room, so it looks like he is still working hard.

SCC
6 years ago

Have you considered NCAA eligibility? You have to have a certain amount of credits for your year as well as passing grades.

Kirk Nelson
6 years ago

Hopefully Cierra Runge has not left the sport. She is listed on Wisconsin’s roster, so that’s a little promising.

dmswim
Reply to  Kirk Nelson
6 years ago

From her social media, she also appears to still be on campus.

urahrah
Reply to  Kirk Nelson
6 years ago

Wisconsin does not update their roster until semester. It means nothing.

Coach MM
6 years ago

What about Brandon Almeida, potential A finalist in the 1650 at NCAAs. Anybody know why he hasn’t swim a meet?

ex quaker
Reply to  Coach MM
6 years ago

Very good question. Depending on his adjustment to SCY, he could be a title contender in the 400IM as well. Curious to know what his plan is this year…

40 Flat
6 years ago

Why is michael phelps absent?

ERVINFORTHEWIN
Reply to  40 Flat
6 years ago

who ? lol

gator
6 years ago

I hate it when life gets in the way of swimming!!

Hswimmer
Reply to  gator
6 years ago

Same here!! I’m out until December :/

ERVINFORTHEWIN
Reply to  gator
6 years ago

hate is not going to bring u more acceptance of what happened …..just saying

ERVINFORTHEWIN
Reply to  ERVINFORTHEWIN
6 years ago

seems that many love to Hate in their daily lives or use that word as a daily routine ….well done guys , u will get somewhere . LOL

ERVINFORTHEWIN
Reply to  ERVINFORTHEWIN
6 years ago

Decent matured ones know what i meant , thank you . Much love

About Jared Anderson

Jared Anderson

Jared Anderson swam for nearly twenty years. Then, Jared Anderson stopped swimming and started writing about swimming. He's not sick of swimming yet. Swimming might be sick of him, though. Jared was a YMCA and high school swimmer in northern Minnesota, and spent his college years swimming breaststroke and occasionally pretending …

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