2020 NCAA Qualifier Hallie Kinsey Transfers to USC Trojans

All-American Hallie Kinsey is transferring from the University of South Carolina to the University of Southern California after two seasons with the Gamecocks in the SEC. Kinsey came to South Carolina in the fall of 2018 from DART Swimming just outside of Sacramento in Davis, Calif.

I am thrilled to announce that I have decided to transfer to USC! I want to emphasize that I have nothing but love and respect for the team back in South Carolina. My transfer is largely to pursue academic interests offered at USC. I am so excited to be a Trojan! Fight on✌🏼

TOP SCY TIMES

• 50 free –  23.74 (23.83 pre-college)
• 100 free – 51.81 (52.17 pre-college)
• 200 free – 1:48.69
• 500 free – 4:52.13
• 100 breast – 1:01.85
• 200 breast – 2:11.56
• 100 fly – 52.51 (52.98 pre-college)
• 200 fly – 1:54.12 (1:57.08 pre-college)
• 200 IM – 1:58.29 (1:59.64 pre-college)
• 400 IM – 4:14.93

Kinsey was a huge get for the South Carolina women when she committed in 2017. She’s improved in three primary events while at South Carolina (100/200 fly, 200 IM), but her big progression has come in the 200 fly, where she’s dropped nearly three seconds while a part of the Gamecock program. Kinsey was an NCAA qualifier last year with her 1:54.12 in the 200 fly, a time that ranked her 12th on the 2020 NCAA Champs psych sheet and in B-final scoring position.

As a sophomore in 2019-20, Kinsey clocked a 1:54.12 to place sixth in the 200 fly at the 2020 SEC Championships. At that meet, she was also 10th in the 100 fly (52.51) and 24th in the 200 IM (2:00.41/1:59.20 in prelims). As a freshman, Kinsey was 16th in the 200 fly (1:58.72/1:57.16 in prelims) and 18th in the 100 fly (52.84) but did not score in the 200 IM (2:00.69). She has also split freestyle legs of 22.67 in the 50, 49.24 in the 100 and 1:47.03 in the 200 with flying starts. Further, she’s split as fast as 23.65 swimming fly on their 200 medley relay and 52.30 on their 400 medley relay.

The Gamecocks finished ninth of 12 teams in the SEC at the conference champs in February, and Kinsey was the team’s second-highest points contributor at that meet with 42 points.

USC has had an incredibly strong butterfly group of late, led by Louise Hansson. Hansson, who just finished her fourth year of eligibility, was the 2018 NCAA champion in the 100 fly and the 2019 NCAA champion in both butterfly events. She also won Pac-12 titles in the 100 fly all four years, while she won conference crowns in the 200 fly in her junior and senior seasons. Names like Jemma Schlicht, Madison Wright, Catherine Sanchez, Kendyl Stewart, Chelsea Chenault and Jasmine Tosky have all been recent butterfly powerhouses with the Trojan program.

Kinsey joins the program alongside an incoming class of 2024 ranked #5 nationally, though it does not have an elite fly presence. Schlicht is the top returning 100 butterflier (51.6 last season) and Makenna Turner is the top returner in the 200 (1:58.7 last season).

Kinsey’s transfer is another major piece for the new Jeremy Kipp-led coaching staff.