Courtney Caldwell has announced via social media that she is transferring to the University of Southern California in the fall.
“I am thrilled to announce my commitment to continue being a student-athlete at the University of Southern California. I feel blessed to have this opportunity & cannot wait to join the Trojan family in LA—FIGHT ON!✌️❤️💛”
Caldwell swam for two seasons at North Carolina State University, where she was an All-American and an ACC record-breaker. As a freshman in 2015-16 she qualified for NCAAs in the 100 back and was a member of the 400 free and 400 medley relays that earned All-America honors at the 2016 NCAA Championship. She was also on the 400 free relay that won gold at 2016 ACCs with a conference record. In 2016-17, she qualified for NCAAs in the 50/100/200 free and picked up honorable mention All-America honors in the 100 free, placing 13th with 47.80. She also earned All-America honors at the 2017 NCAA Championship as part of the 200 free relay (4th place) and the 400 free relay (5th place). At 2017 ACCs she won conference titles in the 200 free relay, 400 free relay, and 400 medley relay, breaking school and meet records in both freestyle relays.
Caldwell did not compete in 2017-18 due to injury; she has two years left of NCAA eligibility. She will be a formidable duo with Louise Hansson, the Trojans’ top 50/100/200 freestyler, 200 IMer, 100/200 flyer, and 200 backstroker for 2017-18. Caldwell’s best 100 back time would have led the Trojans last season, and she would have been second to Hansson in the 50/100 free.
Top SCY times:
- 50y free – 21.99
- 100y free – 47.75
- 200y free – 1:47.66
- 100y back – 51.35
If you have a commitment to report, please send an email with a photo (landscape, or horizontal, looks best) and a quote to [email protected].
USC’s team seems to have evolved into an ongoing collection of random transfers, international imports and hardly any homegrown recruits. Does Salo still coach the college squad or is he mainly focusing on his pro-squad. Something seems amiss.
As a local swim fan, it’s been fun having been able to watch Courtney swim for the Pack in Raleigh. Good luck on your journey in LA with USC, Courtney!
I wish her all the best! Go Wolfpack!
Good luck to Courtney. After bilateral shoulder surgery and not swimming for a year it will be interesting to see if she can find her speed.
Courtney did not have bilateral shoulder surgery. Her repair was to the right shoulder, as seen on deck at the home meet last fall. Wishing her the best of luck as she moves on to Cali!
USC also announced that NC State Assistant (Volunteer) Coach Jordan Schrotenboer will becoming an Assistant Head Coach For Salo and the Trojans. What’s the buzz from Wolfpack fans about this one?.Cause and effect with Caldwell and Schrotenboer or just coincidence?
Even more newsworthy is that Salo “hired back” consultant Kathie Wickstrand from Teri McKeever’s staff at Cal to focus on “organizational dynamics and communication”. Translation and explanation, please. There has to be a back story here somewhere!
Seems like coincidence. I know Wes Foltz used to coach with Salo as a grad assistant at USC before coming back to Raleigh to work with NC State. Then he went with DeSorbo up to UVA this past fall.
NC State has a lot of assistants that go onto high-level positions; this seems like another one for Schrotenboer. Caldwell is a loss for the Wolfpack, but seems unrelated.
Perhaps now there are simply too many cooks in the kitchen and Coach Salo should spend more time with and commit to coaching his university team and stop get distracted by the his pro group. This problem is cropping up with some other top-10 D1 coaches as well who spread themselves too thin an get to busy with their pro swimmers and later find out that they have e no recruits.
Wow, that’s a huge pick up for USC! But a big loss for the Wolfpack…
It starts….
What starts? The fall of NC State? If that’s what your saying then I totally disagree.
Nice pick up