Olympic Champ Joseph Schooling Returns To Texas For Junior Season

According to the Texas Longhorns’ roster update for the 2016-17 season, Olympic Champion Joseph Schooling is officially returning to Austin for his junior season in the NCAA. Schooling, who beat a star-studded field in the 100 meter fly to win gold at the 2016 Rio Olympics, had the option of turning pro after his performance this summer, but has opted to continue his college swimming career with the Longhorns and head coach Eddie Reese instead.

During his first 2 seasons at Texas, Schooling swept the butterfly events at the 2015 and 2016 NCAA Championship meets. Last season, he broke the NCAA records in both fly events, clocking a 44.01 in the 100 and a 1:37.97 in the 200. He was also named co-swimmer of the meet alongside Florida’s Caeleb Dressel and Cal’s Ryan Murphy, his high school teammates from Bolles.

In Austin, Schooling returns to a team that has won the overall title at the last 2 NCAA Championships, and will be looking for their 3rd-straight NCAA title this season. He’ll also be training alongside U.S. Olympic gold medalists Jack Conger, Townley Haas, and Clark Smith.

Schooling and Conger have been known to push each other in the butterfly races, as they went 1-2 in both fly races at 2015 NCAAs, and 1-2 in the 200 fly at 2016 NCAAs, separated by 0.12 or less in each of those races.

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swimdoc
8 years ago

I’m sure Conger is thrilled.

PsychoDad
8 years ago

You don’t tattoo “Come and Get It” on your shoulder and leave after 2 years!

mikeh
Reply to  PsychoDad
8 years ago

That tattoo is awesome. Equally as awesome is a kick set that Eddie said Schooling did.

Long Course 50m
Butterfly kick with a board:
3×100 on 1:30
2×100 on 1:20
1×100 on 1:10
2×100 on 1:20

Schooling made them all. Unbelievable, I doubt there is another swimmer in the world that could have made that set.

Yada
Reply to  mikeh
8 years ago

Pretty sure Phelps or lochte could have. Or shields

Kelvin
Reply to  mikeh
8 years ago

Thank you for being the focus back to Schooling’s swimming and work ethic.

Formernole
Reply to  mikeh
8 years ago

Pavel Sankovich, Jack Conger, Tom Shields, Le Clos, Etc etc

swimdoc
Reply to  PsychoDad
8 years ago

Isn’t it “Come and Take It”? Battle of Gonzales 181 years ago. First battle of the Texas Revolution.

Billy
8 years ago

I think it’s great he gets a lot of money for winning an Olympic Gold medal. What’s wrong with that? It’s perfectly legal under NCAA rules.

Zika Ziki
Reply to  Billy
8 years ago

Not only for Olympics games. He has received another million dollars for his medals in SEA games, Asian games and Commonwealth games.

Ferb
8 years ago

I’d be interested in the explanation of how he is able to accept the $750K prize money from the Singapore government while maintaining his eligibility.

It\'s not an endorsement
Reply to  Ferb
8 years ago

NCAA allows prize money from the Olympics. They want to encourage their athletes to be the best in the world. It’s nothing like an endorsement (which is normally why college athletes can’t recieve money). Doesn’t make sense to tell college athletes that even though they are literally the best in the world they can’t recieve compensation for their training.

Maverick
Reply to  It\'s not an endorsement
8 years ago

And what about the money he earned at the SEA games.

Zika Ziki
Reply to  Maverick
8 years ago

From what I’ve learned, Joe Schooling has easily received a lot more than a million dollars from Singaporean government and other Singaporean institutions for his successes in three SEA games, one Commonwealth games, one Asian games and one Olympic games.
Two millions dollars is my conservative estimates.

moneybags schooling
Reply to  Zika Ziki
8 years ago

I think you’re pretty spot on, Zika Ziki.

Freds got slack
8 years ago

Schooling did Harambe

John
8 years ago

Was there ever a doubt he wouldn’t return? He won a gold medal under Eddie and can still somehow accept prize money (while maintaining his NCAA eligibility) so why wouldnt he remain on the team?

Bobthebuilder
Reply to  John
8 years ago

He could not accept commercial sponsorship as a college swimmer. That is really big money. Many athletes opted out college swimming status to go pro just for this reason. No matter what, they are welcome to stay in the team for training for obvious reason. Joe is just a good kid and willing to pay back to Eddie and longhorn.

Admin
Reply to  Bobthebuilder
8 years ago

As BobTheBuilder points out, while he earned a lot of money, there’s a lot of money being left on the table by returning to school. Even Eddie Reese swimmers have chosen this path in the past – with Aaron Peirsol being the best example. He gave up eligibility and turned pro early.

Bobthebuilderrocks
Reply to  Braden Keith
8 years ago

I need to copyright my swimswam name.

moneybags schooling
Reply to  John
8 years ago

He has taking significantly more than what is allowed under NCAA rules, all disguised as personal contributions and awards given too his family. It wouldn’t take the NCAA long to figure out where that money is hiding. Schooling has been know for throwing cash around long before his accepted his Olympic money. A few $100,000 for Southeast Asian Games, under the table sponsorship deals that are just hidden from American publication, I believe there is a World Championship purse, just to name a few. On top of a substantial scholarship. Obviously the Olympic Record holder deserves a full ride, but lets not kid ourselves and ignore the fact that he has benefitted far more than domestic swimmers…

CoachD
8 years ago

He’s the richest college athlete in the country.

E GAMBLE
Reply to  CoachD
8 years ago

The Olympic prize money pushed him over the million dollar mark.

Pvdh
Reply to  CoachD
8 years ago

Lsu probably paid shaq like 10 million to go there.

CoachD
Reply to  Pvdh
8 years ago

Well shaq isn’t a college athlete anymore so he’s kinda irrelevant.

swimdoc
Reply to  CoachD
8 years ago

Glad he’s got an athletic scholarship. According to one recent report, 105,000 families in Singapore live on $5 per day. Go figure.

Zika Ziki
Reply to  swimdoc
8 years ago

You must have never been to Singapore if you believe such report.

Kelvin
Reply to  swimdoc
8 years ago

Yes, there was a report. Google it.

Henceforth colleges should consider income disparities in an athlete’s home countries before awarding athletic scholarships.

Zika Ziki
Reply to  Kelvin
8 years ago

Swimdoc misrepresented the stats. I’ve just googled and found that “105,000 families in Singapore are earning on average $1,500 per month”
It’s not the same as “live on $5 per day”

I also understand that Joe Schooling come from well-to do family.

swimdoc
Reply to  Zika Ziki
8 years ago

I didn’t misrepresent the stats. Try more investigation. Google “Singapore poverty five dollars per day.” After you have read the 10 pages or so of that, then come back with an actual argument.

The point in all the studies is that Singapore has one of the largest income disparities in the world. That million bucks they gave for winning a gold medal to a guy from a well-off family on an athletic scholarship sure could have gone a long way in helping out the bottom fifth of the population in that country.

Zika Ziki
Reply to  swimdoc
8 years ago

I understand abut income disparity in Singapore. I’ve lived there for 2 years.
And yes I agree with you that income disparity there is huge.

Zika Ziki
Reply to  Kelvin
8 years ago

By the way, I am questioning the survey methodology to decide on “average $1,500 per month”
They seem to deliberately use the term “average”, instead of a straightforward “earning $1,500 per month or less” which should paint a clearer picture.

swammer81
Reply to  Zika Ziki
8 years ago

lol way to bring the receipts!

Formernole
Reply to  swimdoc
8 years ago

He’s not on scholarship

Zika Ziki
Reply to  Formernole
8 years ago

He’s actually on scholarship from Singaporean government.

LP Man
8 years ago

Bold move. Great swimmer, but I was highly disappointed with his obscenity after not breaking a 44.00 at NCAAs last year. It was one of those cringe worthy moments like watching a swimmer throw goggles.

Urban King
Reply to  LP Man
8 years ago

I have nothing but respect for how he portrayed himself after that race. It shows how much he expects from himself and those expectations are quite frankly the reason he is as successful as he is

Yea
Reply to  LP Man
8 years ago

Like Phelps at the 2012 Olympics in the 200 fly.

Maxx Lovard
Reply to  Yea
8 years ago

Yeah comparing ncaa and olympics, what a genius

mcgillrocks
Reply to  LP Man
8 years ago

I hate this knee-jerk “country club etiquette” that lots of people have in swimming to the slightest expression of emotion. Schooling is a big boy, it’s not the end of the world if he says a bad word. Everyone else at NCAA’s is also a big boy, I’m 99% sure everyone was legally an adult, and probably 60%+ of the swimmers were over 20. Nothing they haven’t heard before.

Schooling trained really freaking hard for that moment and probably had been thinking about going 43 multiple times a week for months beforehand. Of course he was a little miffed when he saw how close he came. And for crying out loud, his reaction didn’t hurt anyone break anything or… Read more »

p Man
Reply to  mcgillrocks
8 years ago

Oh, it was less than 8 seconds. My bad , that makes it ok. No big deal if role models are swearing on TV despite winning an Ncaa title in meet record time. That sends a great message to our young swimmers

mikeh
Reply to  p Man
8 years ago

I respect Schooling, but the 100 yard fly was a weak moment. He broke the NCAA record, won the event, and then cursed himself for the swim. How many college swimmers would give anything to be in his position? The good news, I think he realized his mistake afterwards as he referenced it in an interview. He’s a tough competitor and I think he learned from it.

Also I am not a fan of tattoos, but Schooling has the best one I have seen. A Longhorn and “Come and Take It” underneath.

Billy
Reply to  p Man
8 years ago

In this day and age, most kids have heard every swear word in the book on the playground by the 4th grade whether their parents like it or not. It’s the world we all live in.

ice age swimmer
Reply to  p Man
8 years ago

You need to bet your child’s role model.

Swammer
Reply to  mcgillrocks
8 years ago

I miss the dramatic days of swimming with swimmers (**cough** Amy Van Dyken) spitting in other people’s lanes. Those were the good ole days. haha

iLikePsych
Reply to  LP Man
8 years ago

His “obscenity” being shaking his head, and then congratulating his competitors?? I can understand that some people noted his lack of enthusiasm, but then again the next day there were people saying he was too excited and not formal enough after his 200 fly. You can’t please everyone.
If you want to see real obscenity’s after a race, check out this video of Phelps vs. Cavic at the 2008 olympics: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VxK05rOmOZw

p Man
Reply to  iLikePsych
8 years ago

You need to re watch the video because he did more than just shake his head

PAC12BACKER
Reply to  LP Man
8 years ago

Did that get the snowflakes offended? Do they need a safe place?

About Lauren Neidigh

Lauren Neidigh

Lauren Neidigh is a former NCAA swimmer at the University of Arizona (2013-2015) and the University of Florida (2011-2013). While her college swimming career left a bit to be desired, her Snapchat chin selfies and hot takes on Twitter do not disappoint. She's also a high school graduate of The …

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