SwimSwam Pulse is a recurring feature tracking and analyzing the results of our periodic A3 Performance Polls. You can cast your vote in our newest poll on the SwimSwam homepage, about halfway down the page on the right side.
Our most recent poll asked SwimSwam readers which departure(s) would hurt each top-tier NCAA program the most in the coming season:
Question: Which NCAA team will suffer the most in 23-24 from the following loss(es)?
RESULTS
- Stanford Women – Huske, Curzan, Ruck – 71.4%
- Texas Men – Fosters, Johnston, Corbeau – 21.8%
- UVA Women – Kate Douglass – 6.3%
- Other – 0.5%
Some of the top collegiate programs in the country will be facing some significant losses this season, with, swimmers either taking Olympic redshirts, graduating after four seasons and opting out of their fifth year of eligibility, and in some cases, turning pro early.
Two programs really stood out as having suffered significant losses: the Stanford women and the Texas men.
The Cardinal’s top two swimmers last season, Torri Huske and Claire Curzan, jointly announced they would be taking Olympic redshirt seasons in late April, leaving Stanford without 101 individual NCAA points from last season.
Curzan has since transferred to rival Virginia, where she’ll attend beginning in the fall of 2024.
Adding onto the loss of Huske and Curzan is the departure of Taylor Ruck, the back-to-back national champion in the 200 free who was Stanford’s third-highest scorer last season. Despite having some eligibility remaining, Ruck announced she would not return to college swimming in August.
That leaves Stanford without 121 of the 183 individual points they scored at NCAAs last season, or two-thirds (66 percent), not to mention the fact that those three swimmers alone represent 13 of their 25 relay legs from last season. Add in Allie Raab, a fifth-year last season, and the Cardinal will lose 15 of 25 relay legs.
The results of our latest poll show that Stanford will suffer the most from their losses, with more than 71 percent voting for the Cardinal.
The Texas men will also hurt from the losses they’ve incurred, as not only did Carson Foster turn pro early and David Johnston take an Olympic redshirt, but both Caspar Corbeau and Jake Foster have opted not to use their fifth year of eligibility.
That quartet represented four of Texas’ five top scorers at NCAAs last season, as they combined for 148 individual points, or 68.5 percent of their individual swimming points (216). If we factor in diving, that’s 56.9 percent of their total individual points (260).
C. Foster, Corbeau, and another departure, graduate Danny Krueger, also factored prominently on relays, though only 21.8 percent of readers believe these losses will impact the Longhorns more than Stanford’s departures.
The Virginia women are losing superstar Kate Douglass, who could’ve raced another year but opted to move on from college swimming after a dominant NCAA performance in March.
Douglass, who scored the maximum 60 individual points and swam on four title-winning relays for the national champion Cavaliers, will certainly be missed by UVA, but her loss is clearly nowhere near as significant as the key names dropping off Stanford and Texas’ rosters.
The Virginia women also have a very strong incoming recruiting class that should be able to make an impact at the NCAA level, and while Stanford has a few key names entering their freshman year, their class does not appear to be as deep.
The Texas men have two of our top-5 ranked recruits coming in this year, though male swimmers tend to need a season or two under their belt before they can make a significant impact at the NCAA level.
Below, vote in our new A3 Performance Poll, which asks: Should the NCAA follow through on moving the D1 Swim & Dive Championships into April?
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ABOUT A3 PERFORMANCE
A3 Performance is an independently-owned, performance swimwear company built on a passion for swimming, athletes, and athletic performance. We encourage swimmers to swim better and faster at all ages and levels, from beginners to Olympians. Driven by a genuine leader and devoted staff that are passionate about swimming and service, A3 Performance strives to inspire and enrich the sport of swimming with innovative and impactful products that motivate swimmers to be their very best – an A3 Performer.
The A3 Performance Poll is courtesy of A3 Performance, a SwimSwam partner.
