NCAA Qualifier Macky Hodges Enters Transfer Portal After Sophomore Season At USC

NCAA qualifier Macky Hodges has entered the transfer portal just days after finishing her sophomore campaign with the USC Trojans.

Hodges committed to USC back in fall 2021 and at the time was the #16 ranked recruit in the high school class of 2023. She entered USC leading the #9 ranked recruiting class in fall 2023 and was an honorable mention recruit at the time.

As a freshman, Hodges made NCAAs but went on to add from her season best times in all of her individual events. She finished 41st in the 200 free, 45th in the 200 back, and 62nd in the 500 free. She helped the USC 800 free relay to an 11th place finish.

This past weekend, Hodges swam a best time in the 200 back posting a 1:53.58 for 32nd. She also was 47th in the 200 free and 58th in the 200 IM. She swam on the 800 free relay that finished 7th to earn All-American honors while the 200 free relay finished 21st.

Hodges has seen improvement since arriving at USC, dropping almost two seconds in the 200 IM and just under a second in both the 200 back and 200 free.

Time Progression

High School Best Freshman Sophomore
400 IM 4:09.29 4:12.62 N/A
200 IM 1:58.53 1:58.07 1:56.69
200 Back 1:54.23 1:53.75 1:53.58
200 free 1:45.69 1:45.06 1:44.77

Hodges was the top 200 backstroker this season by over two seconds. She also was #3 in the 200 IM and 200 free. USC finished 5th out of 14 teams at the 2025 Big Ten Championships before finishing 11th at NCAAs.

Note: Entering the transfer portal does not require an athlete to transfer, rather it allows athletes to begin to speak to coaches about the potential of transferring. Athletes do occasionally return to their original school. 

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Bevo’s Horns
2 months ago

Looks like she committed to Indiana

Willswim
2 months ago

Eventually some college coach is gonna figure out the formula to keeping the female Sandpiper alum on track and it will unlock an excellent recruiting pipeline for them.

Swammer123
Reply to  Willswim
2 months ago

It’s hard to get continuous improvements when you do 11-12 practices a week in high school

Coach
Reply to  Swammer123
2 months ago

I used to think this, but Erica Sullivan went a best time at the age of 20 (21?) to win an Olympic silver medal in the mile. Ron found a way to get improvement with a swimmer beyond the high school years on the biggest stage.

I miss the ISL (Go dawgs)
Reply to  Coach
2 months ago

That’s not what he meant, Sullivan was still training with sandpipers at that time if I’m not mistaken. Once she actually went to Texas, she fell off because of the training regimen change. However, she was still doing the Sandpipers training load up until the Olympics.

Gentle observer
Reply to  Swammer123
2 months ago

The best college coaches suck following in Ron’s shoes. One has to assume mass intimidation to the savant in Nevada.

College coaches just want to get on deck for team USA after inheriting great swimmers. If they can’t complete the task getting the swimmer on deck they should not be part of Team USA they should be educating themselves on how to be a contributing coach not a crap bag.

Just calling it for what it is.

samulih
Reply to  Willswim
2 months ago

there might not be formula, college is just hospice for their career as the tank is empty.

IMO
Reply to  Willswim
2 months ago

How can there be a pipeline when SAND literally has no one coming along who could be considered anything near a top recruit after Weinstein leaves?

ChefJake
Reply to  IMO
2 months ago

So #2 in the class of 2026 is no where near the top?

IMO
Reply to  ChefJake
2 months ago

What list are you looking at? Crush, Han, Sweeney… the class of 2026 has no one from SAND anywhere in sight.

Rings
Reply to  ChefJake
2 months ago

I believe the above comment section is in reference to the women’s side of the recruitment. What you posted references the men’s side of the recruiting.

Backstroke Flags
Reply to  ChefJake
2 months ago

IMO is always out to get SAND and full of back intel. CJ just dropped the mic.

Trump takes the 51st State
Reply to  Backstroke Flags
2 months ago

IMO is a helicopter parent and likely someone who’s kid didn’t make it with Ron. Seems like one name pops up. If you know you know.

stinky swimmer 42
2 months ago

She hasn’t had any great end of season performances at USC her last NCAAs and conference meets went the same way.

swim6847
2 months ago

Not that this necessarily means anything but the only two swimming accounts she follows on Instagram are Ohio State and Indiana, not even USC

Hswimmer
Reply to  swim6847
2 months ago

IU would be smart..

NoFastTwitch
Reply to  Hswimmer
2 months ago

California girl. Transition to Indy might be rough

Kollegeswimfan
Reply to  NoFastTwitch
2 months ago

Not sure she would be an academic fit for Stanford and cal

I miss the ISL (Go dawgs)
Reply to  Kollegeswimfan
2 months ago

USC is no slouch of a school…

Expatswimmer
Reply to  Kollegeswimfan
2 months ago

There’s definitely a good number of students who might be bright enough to get by at an elite academic school and graduate even though they wouldn’t have been strong enough academically to get in without sports. I’m like you in that I don’t know Macky either. If she’s at USC she’s probably just fine academically. For that matter, almost all of us commenters don’t know the specific swimmers getting discussed well enough to know if they could handle the academics somewhere.

I always kind of cringe whenever people speculate about specific swimmers “not being an academic fit” at a good school. If they do know the kid well and the kid isn’t very smart, then what a mean thing to… Read more »

IMO
Reply to  Expatswimmer
2 months ago

Indeed. I personally know a kid who needed all kinds of academic help just to graduate high school who somehow swam for USC and remained eligible. I think the reverse is more relevant, giving up a degree from USC for one from IU is a big come-down.

Go Blue
Reply to  NoFastTwitch
2 months ago

IU is perfect they know how to get the work done and not over rest the females. Unlike some schools that think resting females like males is the answer or one size fits all. IU has been the consistent for those that want to work. Problem with most schools is everyone is afraid of work. IU is not and if you are afraid don’t go to IU. I don’t want you there either.

Anonymous
Reply to  Hswimmer
2 months ago

Heard she’s going to IU

psycho swimologist
Reply to  swim6847
2 months ago

going through her instagram following is crazy

vballswimmer
Reply to  psycho swimologist
2 months ago

well this is completely normal during volleyball transfer season 🙃

Former Big10
Reply to  psycho swimologist
2 months ago

I know club coaches who keep spread sheets and follow high school kiddos instagrams to get/keep up to date on their recruiting journeys. 😅😂🙃

Long Strokes
2 months ago

My nostrils are filled with the scent of a transfer to UVA!

Vaswammer
Reply to  Long Strokes
2 months ago

That would be surprising.

Last edited 2 months ago by Vaswammer
LawHoo
Reply to  Vaswammer
2 months ago

It would surprise me (she doesn’t make a lot of sense for the current UVA team) but they were just posting a day or two ago about a big women’s recruit/transfer (unspecific) for next fall…there aren’t many highly ranked commits left, so I wouldn’t be surprised if it’s a transfer

lilac
Reply to  LawHoo
2 months ago

i dont think she wants to be with katie grimes anymore

Aquajosh
Reply to  LawHoo
2 months ago

Y’all are goofy, Bella just improved by a half second in the 100 free and over a second in the 100/200 back. I think that 200 back was exactly what she needed to shake the Sandpipers ghost, and she proved it with that 100 free after. She’s evolving into a sprinter/backstroker, and UF is working. It would be crazy to start over and kill that forward momentum.

Lads
Reply to  LawHoo
2 months ago

Bella Sims is in the portal?

Swammer123
Reply to  LawHoo
2 months ago

Bella needs to abandon 500 free training. Her bk looked great at ncaas and with focus on that and Im and maybe short free I think that training would benefit her better

chickenlamp
Reply to  Swammer123
2 months ago

After her100 free on the relay I wondered if she should put more focus on the 100 free LCM and try to get a relay spot

Swammer123
Reply to  chickenlamp
2 months ago

Yeah I agree do 100/200 bk and free at trials. Go for top in bk but have relays to fall on. Not like you’re going to beat ledecky/cox/madden/grimes in 400 + distances

I miss the ISL (Go dawgs)
Reply to  Swammer123
2 months ago

Unless something drastic happens, she won’t beat Smith, Bacon, Curzan, etc. in long course. Her backstroke over the top speed is not there for long course, she’s much more suited for SCY. She’s in a very awkward space for LC now that her freestyle has fallen off.

fly is the best
Reply to  I miss the ISL (Go dawgs)
2 months ago

100% agree with that. Her underwaters are insane with a stroke that (at least from my eye) seems to be a little bit uneven almost. Like one arm is pulling more water than the other. On the bright side its something that is fixable and with that fix she could just maybe be competitive in the LC pool.

Last edited 2 months ago by fly is the best
I miss the ISL (Go dawgs)
Reply to  fly is the best
2 months ago

Well, if we’re going off precedent, UF has not been able to help her with technique issues (literally in her own words so don’t come for me). So I don’t have high hopes.

aquajosh
Reply to  I miss the ISL (Go dawgs)
2 months ago

She was also gaslighted by a coach who told her she wouldn’t swim fast for anyone else, and Florida has had to work to undo all of that. The best female recruit in the country has dropped over 1% from her best times in three events this season at UF. Those are age grouper drops at this level. As an added bonus, she may never have to swim the 500 again.

LFG2
Reply to  I miss the ISL (Go dawgs)
2 months ago

Anthony has really not evolved anybody, he likely doesn’t possess the skills. Politics in athletics with out fundamentals is useless.

Walsh-Madden-Grimes-Weinstein
Reply to  LawHoo
2 months ago

The University of Florida makes more sense than the University of Virginia.

Go Blue
Reply to  LawHoo
2 months ago

Bella Sims not going any where. UF is her school. Now they just need to figure out LC for her. We know they will because they are the best program.

Vaswammer
Reply to  LawHoo
2 months ago

Lana Pudar.

gretchentruther
Reply to  Vaswammer
2 months ago

eee I think it might be lawson ficken. wasn’t pudar committed to texas?

Vaswammer
Reply to  gretchentruther
2 months ago

That’s Nicoletta Padar (Hungarian). Pudar is Bosnian, finished fourth two years ago at Worlds in the 200 fly (behind McIntosh, Dekkers, and Smith).

gretchen truther
Reply to  Vaswammer
2 months ago

oh right! mixed them up. well, pudar may yet join – but lawson did change her insta tag to uvaswimdive though, so I think that’s also happening.

Walsh-Madden-Grimes-Weinstein
Reply to  Vaswammer
2 months ago

Definitely not the top priority especially with Madi Mintenko arriving next season.

Snarky
Reply to  Long Strokes
2 months ago

More likely to join UVa diving team!

Walsh-Madden-Grimes-Weinstein
Reply to  Long Strokes
2 months ago

The top priority for the University of Virginia in the transfer market is 50 /100 yard freestylers especially with the departures of M. Parker, A. Walsh, G. Walsh.

Apathetic
2 months ago

Weird NCAAs for her — good relay split on the 800 free relay on night one and a PB in the 200 back on the last day, but pretty terrible performances between that. Doesn’t happen that way too often

Walsh-Madden-Grimes-Weinstein
Reply to  Apathetic
2 months ago

A time of 1:44.14 is a pedestrian relay split in the women’s 4 x 200 yard freestyle relay. A sub 1:43 would grab attention in the transfer market.

Apathetic
Reply to  Walsh-Madden-Grimes-Weinstein
2 months ago

She was fast enough to beat at least one split on literally every relay but Stanford, UVA, and Texas! Literally almost every team could use that leg as an upgrade on their current relay (not even taking into account graduations).

Walsh-Madden-Grimes-Weinstein
Reply to  Apathetic
2 months ago

She can transfer to Indiana University since A. Peplowski has exhausted her collegiate eligibility.

Tani
2 months ago

This transferring all over the place is ridiculous!!!

IU Swammer
Reply to  Tani
2 months ago

Yeah, how dare athletes do what’s best for their swimming and academic careers.

Anton
2 months ago

I am waiting for Justina kozan. 3 years without significant progression must be frustrating

Swimfan27
Reply to  Anton
2 months ago

Thought she’d be the next American IMer internationally.

Apathetic
Reply to  Anton
2 months ago

She did just go a PB at NCAAs in the 500…but point taken

Last edited 2 months ago by Apathetic
Sid Frisco
Reply to  Anton
2 months ago

Kozan likely a good reason to transfer. Exceptional swimmer who has not progressed at USC.

usaswimfan
Reply to  Sid Frisco
2 months ago

Sometimes the issue is not the program bur the swimmer. Not a usc fan but other im swimmers flourished in that program

Trulycurious
Reply to  usaswimfan
2 months ago

No program is the best for everyone.

Former Big10
Reply to  Anton
2 months ago

Her sister is doing alright, no?

I miss the ISL (Go dawgs)
Reply to  Anton
2 months ago

She just went an impressive PB in the 500, so the plateau might FINALLY be over. Her times dropped off so hard that I thought she might have been injured.

About Anya Pelshaw

Anya Pelshaw

Anya has been with SwimSwam since June 2021 as both a writer and social media coordinator. She was in attendance at the 2022, 2023, and 2024 Women's NCAA Championships writing and doing social media for SwimSwam. She also attended 2023 US Summer Nationals as well as the 2024 European Championships …

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