2024 NCAA qualifier Casey Chung has announced on Instagram that she will stay at Michigan and earn a Master of Management while using her COVID-19 fifth year of eligibility.
Chung is originally from Ann Arbor, Michigan and competed for the Wolverines during her undergraduate career. During her senior season, Chung made big progress and qualified for her first NCAAs. She fell on line 29 of the 100 backstroke with a time of a 52.07 which was faster than the cutline of a 52.28.
Time Progression:
| High School | Freshman | Sophomore | Junior | Senior | |
| 100 back | 53.45 | 53.54 | 52.53 | 53.3 | 51.81 |
| 200 back | 1:56.39 | 1:57.77 | 1:54.62 | 1:55.93 | 1:55.15 |
This past season was the first season in which Chung made the Big Ten ‘A’ final in both backstroke events. At Big Tens, Chung finished 4th in the 100 back in a 52.08 and 7th in the 200 back in a 1:55.88. She also made the C final of the 50 free and swam a personal best time of a 22.48.
At 2024 NCAAs, Chung swam in prelims of both backstroke events. She finished 23rd in the 100 back swimming a personal best time of a 51.89, her first time under the 52 second mark. Later that evening, she led off Michigan’s 400 medley relay slightly faster in another personal best time of a 51.81. That relay finished 16th. Chung also swam the 200 back swimming a 1:55.36 for 42nd in prelims.
Chung told SwimSwam that she wanted to take her 5th year “because of the growth I’ve seen in our program in the last year. I’ve had a great experience with the (coaching) changes made and feel like I still have room to improve in the sport. I know this team is just getting started and I would like to do anything I can to help contribute for another year!”
The Michigan coaching staff had a large turn over in the last year as Mike Bottom retired. Former Cal associate head coach Matt Bowe took over in Ann Arbor. The Michigan women had the highest improvement from last year to this year at NCAAs, going from 23rd in 2023 to 12th in 2024.
Great to see it!! Culture turn around from end of the Mike Bottom era. Happy swimmers… swimming well!
Great news for Michigan fans!
You have to like what Michigan did this year. Congrats to Casey, and the coaches for turning the team around. Nobody wants to see a storied program like Michigan not doing well.
It’s great to see her making these improvements, especially as a senior AND with a new staff! Appears she’ll be a difference maker for the wolverines next season!
Bence is also coming back on the men’s side. That’s also HUGE!
They’re both HUGE
This is great news. Sounds like a positive team culture. Go Blue!
Great season for Casey. She’ll be a big time contributor for Michigan next year. That’s a Go Blue!
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