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.Â
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.
It’s hard to get continuous improvements when you do 11-12 practices a week in high school
She hasn’t had any great end of season performances at USC her last NCAAs and conference meets went the same way.
Not that this necessarily means anything but the only two swimming accounts she follows on Instagram are Ohio State and Indiana, not even USC
IU would be smart..
Maybe she’s going to do a hybrid schedule with Sandpipers and IU, LOL.
California girl. Transition to Indy might be rough
Maybe Stanford or Cal? Not sure what the rosters are looking like at those schools. Arizona or ASU maybe. Probably also depends on some factors outside of swimming (e.g., which schools are good for her major, campus culture, etc.)
Agree that Indiana or Ohio State would be a big adjustment for someone who has lived their whole life in SoCal and Las Vegas.
Not sure she would be an academic fit for Stanford and cal
going through her instagram following is crazy
My nostrils are filled with the scent of a transfer to UVA!
That would be surprising.
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
Bella Sims?
i dont think she wants to be with katie grimes anymore
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.
Bella Sims is in the portal?
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
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
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
The University of Florida makes more sense than the University of Virginia.
Definitely not the top priority especially with Madi Mintenko arriving next season.
More likely to join UVa diving team!
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.
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
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.
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).
This transferring all over the place is ridiculous!!!
Yeah, how dare athletes do what’s best for their swimming and academic careers.
I am waiting for Justina kozan. 3 years without significant progression must be frustrating
Thought she’d be the next American IMer internationally.
She did just go a PB at NCAAs in the 500…but point taken
Kozan likely a good reason to transfer. Exceptional swimmer who has not progressed at USC.
Texas, UF, or Indiana.
why hate those r 3 great programs