Reece Whitley announced his retirement from competitive swimming on Thursday night after helping Cal capture its third NCAA team title in five seasons with the Bears this past March.
“Grateful for it all,” the 6-foot-9 breaststroke specialist wrote on Instagram. “Thank you to @calmenswim, USA Swimming and Penn Charter for your guidance in my athletic journey. Much love to my friends and family for embracing me along the way. Cheers to the next chapter and Go Bears!”
The 23-year-old Whitley confirmed to SwimSwam that he is all done with the sport and will start working at Guggenheim Partners this summer.
It looked as if Whitley might retire after the 2021-22 season, when he hinted at the 2022 NCAA Championships that he was likely done with swimming and proceeded to scratch his only event (100 breast) at last year’s U.S. Summer Nationals. But then the Philadelphia native revealed he was using his fifth year of eligibility last August and went on to win his fourth Pac-12 title in a row in the 100 breast (51.12) while earning a runner-up finish in the 200 breast (1:51.30). At the 2023 NCAA Championships, he totaled 13 points courtesy of a seventh-place finish in the 100 breast (51.04) as well as a 16th-place finish in the 200 breast (1:52.93).
At the 2022 NCAA Championships, Whitley scored 27 individual points, finishing fourth in the 100 breast (50.84) and seventh in the 200 breast (1:50.83). He also swam the breast leg on Cal’s winning 4×100 medley relay, splitting 50.64 en route to his first NCAA title. His best NCAA finishes came in 2021, when he racked up 36 individual points thanks to a runner-up finish in the 200 breast (1:49.54) and third-place finish in the 100 breast (51.03).
Whitley broke 23 national age group (NAG) records before even arriving on campus in Berkeley. At age 15, he claimed two silver medals at the 2015 World Junior Championships and earned Sports Illustrated Kids’ Sportskid of the Year award. As a rising high school junior, he made the semifinals of both breaststrokes at the 2016 Olympic Trials.
A few years later, he won the 200 breast and placed third in the 100 breast at U.S. Summer Nationals in 2019. At the 2021 Olympic Trials, he placed 10th in the 100 breast (2:11.12 and 29th in the 100 breast (1:01.98).
Whitley spoke out after the police murder of George Floyd in the summer of 2020 and reportedly advised USA Swimming on a second public statement condemning racism after the organization’s first statement was criticized for not specifically using the phrase “Black Lives Matter.”
Drop all of the “but the hype!” conversations and complaints for a little. Anybody that’s interacted with this guy over the years knows that he’s one of most naturally likeable people out there. Smart, wise, ridiculously funny without really trying to be, he’s got it all. I saw another comment on this page saying that swimming won’t define his life.
It goes farther. Swimming won’t be the peak of this guy’s life. He’s destined for success no matter where life will take him, bet all my money on it. Once again completely testament to the great guy that he is. Pretty much every great quality you can ask for in a person, he’s got it. That’s why I can’t really… Read more »
Tell me you’re a Cal dad without telling me you’re a Cal dad
It’s worse actually, I’m a Philadelphian
Congrats to Reece! I’m determining this from #vibes, but he seems to be ultimate golden bear and a great representative of the program.
Ultimate lol?
Damir Dujonic from Cal was huge and the former NCAA record holder in the 100.
Can’t believe he didn’t achieve more with all those extra kicks off the wall he was allowed to get away with.
One of the biggest busts. Had a few solid swim though
Take a look who he is going to work for. I would hardly call that a bust.
He is 100% a bust in swimming post age 16.
Nice
He was extremely tall for breaststroke it seemed. Maybe the tallest ever.
6’9” is usually a freestyler or backstroker.
So he was one of a kind and amazed people with his times as an age grouper.
He had some good swims in college in the 200. Just no individual NCAA titles or records.
I — and I assume many other swim fans — became a Reece fan after THIS INTERVIEW (and his whole performance at the meet) in 2015. I was so impressed with his maturity and he was so fun to watch develop. Obviously he had an incredible career, but I was always sorry we never saw him win an individual NCAA title or make a major senior international team. Best of luck, Reece!
swimming next to the kid when i was 11 years old was definitely terrifying- he had an amazing swimming career most of us could only dream of and i wish him the best of luck in his career out of the pool!
Great career, incredible college team experience, top education, speaks 5 languages, he’s got a great future ahead! Congratulations Reece and best wishes in the next chapters! Not to mention nicest parents ever!
^Cal dad detected