US National Team member Shaine Casas has returned to College Station and is training with the pro group at Texas A&M for the time being.
Casas entered the NCAA transfer portal just before the start of this season after three seasons at Texas A&M with the intention of transferring to the University of Texas. Ultimately, he decided to go pro instead.
“I currently am here in College Station training with the pro group until I’m able to move over to Austin to train with Coach Reese,” Casas told SwimSwam. “I am getting into great shape as I’m preparing for the SC Worlds.”
Casas says that housing and a pro contract is what’s holding him back from joining the post-grad/pro group at Texas.
“There’s a couple of things holding me back, but the two main reasons are housing and as of now, I don’t think I can train with the pro team until I’ve either signed to a company and or have gotten an agent. That’s my understanding on all of that.”
Casas made the full weight of his potential known in the summer after his freshman season at Texas A&M. There he became the #7 American of All-Time in the 100 meter back and the youngest American to ever go under 53 seconds in that race.
He followed that with an impressive run of short course swims over the next 2 years that culminated with him winning the 100 back, 200 back, and 200 IM at the 2021 NCAA Championship meet.
At the US Olympic Trials, he wound up placing 3rd in the 100 back, missing the team by about three tenths behind Hunter Armstrong, and 6th in the 200 back.
Texas A&M men’s team assistant coach Jason Calanog, who was also the childhood coach of Caeleb Dressel, leads the A&M pro group. French swimmer Beryl Gastaldello, the highest-profile member of that pro group besides Casas, announced on Thursday that she had a new coach (though she hasn’t said who). Among others in that group currently are Mexican Olympian and ISL swimmer Angel Martinez, U.S. Olympic Trials finalist Brett Pinfold, and 1:56 200 butterflier Hector Ruvalcaba.
Thank you Shaine Casas for elevating my old college team and bringing so much positive exposure to TAMU as a whole. Your legacy of excellence will likely never be surpassed by any future Aggie. I’m saddened by this news as a fan of collegiate swimming, and as a former Aggie swimmer, but I hope nothing but the best for your future. I obviously don’t agree with the idea of joining the UT team for your senior season, though. But if you wanna go pro, then go pro and congrats on that opportunity. But joining another college team….ouch…just ouch…that’s gotta be such a brutal pill to swallow for your (former) team, and I know it couldn’t have been an easy decision.… Read more »
I’ve seen plenty of interviews with him, and he’s actually quite insightful and a good interviewee.
Can’t imagine what the SwimSwam commentariat would’ve said when Anthony Ervin went on his Buddhism trek and gave away his gold medal during his prime, then comes back to Cal. If Eddie’s willing to take him on and A&M is willing to take him back, he can’t possibly be the d-bag everyone on here paints him to be. Grow the f’ up, Commentariat.
Exactly… the comrades are always restless, cantankerous, and divisive.
Maybe, just maybe, he should be able to make his own decisions and we don’t have much right at all, and no obligation whatsoever, to judge him or those decisions. Shane should do what he feels is best for him. That’s the end of that statement.
Okay until he starts asking us for our money (via sponsorships, ticket sales, prize money, appearance fees).
Sports are a two way street. Athletes have to give if they want to take. Same with fans. I think people forget that too often in swimming in their race to the moral high ground.
You don’t have to buy it. That’s how the market works. smh
Who downvotes this? He will have to live with his decisions, it none of our business.
It IS our business. That’s literally what pro sports are! That’s the “live with” part of the decisions! My god, you “every decision is a great decision” warriors are becoming insufferable.
Are… Are you reading words that aren’t there?
2021: SC moves to transfer portal
2022: SC turns pro
2023: SC retires
2024: SC comes out of retirement to win three golds in Paris; laughs his ass off at all the naysayers.
I dont now if I completely agreey with with Shane’s decision here :-{
I don’t know if you can spell.
Walter
Pinfold was top 8 in the Trials in the 100, as well as semifinals
Brett Pinfold made finals in the 100 free as well as the semifinals at the US Olympic trials.