2024 NCAA qualifier Kyra Sommerstad has announced she will transfer to Duke to use her COVID-19 fifth year. Sommerstad spent her undergraduate career with Ohio State.
Sommerstad was a 2x NCAA qualifier during her four years with the Buckeyes. As a freshman, she finished her season at Big Tens finishing 12th in both the 200 backstroke and 400 IM.
As a sophomore, she made her first Big Ten ‘A’ final swimming a 4:12.27 for 7th. She also finished 10th in the 200 fly in a best time of a 1:57.30 and 19th in the 200 IM in a 1:59.26, her first time under the 2:00 mark. Her 400 IM was just off of making NCAAs as it took a 4:11.60 to make the cutline.
After just missing NCAAs as a sophomore, Sommerstad earned her first invite in her junior season after her swims at Big Tens. Her highest finish once again came in the 400 IM as she swam a 4:10.34 to finish 3rd. She also did the “dirty double” finishing 13th in the 200 fly and 14th in the 200 back. She went on to finish 25th in the 400 IM, 47th in the 200 fly, and 50th in the 200 back at NCAAs.
This past season, she made numerous Big Ten ‘A’ finals as she was 4th in the 200 fly in a 1:56.39 and 7th in the 400 IM (4:11.24). She also finished 12th in the 200 IM in a best time of a 1:58.87. After earning another NCAA invite, she finished 26th in the 200 fly in a best time of a 1:55.83, 28th in the 400 IM (4:10.65), and 55th in the 200 back.
Sommerstad arrives to a Duke team that has been on the rise recently. The Duke women finished 16th at NCAAs this past March, the highest ever in program history. The team scored a total of 80 points and had seven individual swimmers and two divers. Martina Peroni was the team’s highest finisher at NCAAs in the 200 fly finishing 19th in a 1:55.07, about half a second ahead of Sommerstad who was 26th.
Sommerstad is at least the 5th Ohio State woman to announce she will be using her 5th year this upcoming season. Kit Kat Zenick will stay with the Buckeyes while Catherine Russo is transferring to Tulane, Libby Gilbert is transferring to Vanderbilt, and Maya Geringer is transferring to Cal.
Coach Barnes doing a really good job in Durham
The race for 2nd place at Women’s Big Tens next year will be fascinating. OSU, USC, and UMich all in varying stages of momentum trying to catch defending champ IU, who should repeat with their minimal / well-replaced losses.