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After originally announcing her verbal commitment to Kentucky in February, Clarkston, Michigan’s Sydney Stricklin has switched her allegiance to Liberty University. Stricklin swims for Club Wolverine and is an Olympic Trials qualifier in the 50 free and a Winter Juniors or better qualifier in the 100/200 free, 100/200 back, and 200/400 IM.
Last summer, she finished top 30 in the 100 free (57.34) and 200 free (2:04.54) at the 2019 Speedo Junior National Championships and was even faster leading off Club Wolverine relays (56.98/2:03.31). Both times were personal bests. At 2019 Winter Juniors East, Stricklin swam the 50/100/200 free, 100 back, and 200 IM. She came in 15th in the 100 free and wrapped up the meet with a PB in the 50 free. Earlier this year she earned best times in the SCY and LCM 200 IMs at the 2020 Michigan Open (SCY prelims/LCM finals format) and in the LCM 100 back at PSS Knoxville.
Top SCY:
- 50 free – 23.45
- 100 free – 50.31
- 200 free – 1:48.10
- 500 free – 4:53.89
- 100 back – 54.98
- 200 back – 1:58.75
- 200 IM – 2:02.85
- 400 IM – 4:21.01
The Lady Flames won the 2020 Coastal Collegiate Sports Association (CCSA) Women’s Swimming & Diving Championships, earning their second consecutive conference title. Stricklin’s best times would have added Liberty points in the A finals of the 100/200/500 free, 100/200 back, and 200/400 IM and the B final of the 50 free.
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Congrats!! It’s tough to read the comments in a forum like this honestly. These teenagers are expected to make a decision at what…15 or 16? If she finds Liberty to be a better fit then you go girl!
My point exactly. Tired of reading snarky comments about predicting transfers, ect. These are kids. Most people commenting are adults, most of whom probably were not collegiate athletes.
In fairness, I don’t think the original question that started this whole thing off was intended to be snarky – I think the reader was legitimately asking why someone might choose a “lesser” name over a “bigger” name (sorry for the labels). I took the question as a honest one, just trying to understand what it is about Liberty (let’s face it, its leaders can be … controversial) that draws an athlete like this one. The responses to that question got a bit defensive.
Overall, I totally agree with OG Prodigy – if she found that Liberty was the better fit, then good for her.
This is a tough one. I agree with you – perception is reality for swim fans out there, yes. But the great thing about our sport is that the watch doesn’t care about the name on the side of your cap. Only the work. The watch respects the work, not the name. Liberty is lesser in the general swim fan’s perception, only. Those fans haven’t done the research. Liberty’s results are there. Did you know they beat the Florida Gators in 3/5 relays back in 2018? The average SwimSwam reader doesn’t know this, nor would they believe you if you told them. Even if you showed them the results they still might not believe you. Their perception being reality is… Read more »
Does anyone follow Liberty head coach Jake Shellenberger on Twitter? He throws out a lot of stats like this, cherry-picked, grabbing a big name program, taking their worst year, and comparing it to his team’s best year.
Dutch Women – what’s your connection to the program? You seem super invested in this. I don’t know of any Dutch swimmers who have gone to Liberty, so I’m stumped.
Dutch Women – you, and coach Shellenberger, would have us believe that this decision was made because Liberty has an amazing swimming program, and has nothing to do with the hyper-conservative religious pull of Liberty. Here’s why people think this is weird:
“Did you know that in 2020, Kentucky was faster than Liberty… Read more »
“Social climbers strive to be aristocrats but their efforts prove them no such thing. Aristocrats do not strive; they have already arrived.”
Craig Lambert in Mind Over Water
As the comments suggest, Liberty clearly has not yet arrived, hence fans like me feel the need to defend the program when uneducated folks ask:
“I’m asking a serious question–what is the appeal of Liberty? No offense to her, but I can’t understand why anyone who could go somewhere else would choose Liberty.”
– HuntleyJones
Florida is part of the aristocrats. They have already arrived. The Gators have a seat at the table. When a top recruit chooses UF no one thinks twice. Not so with Liberty as we see. Why… Read more »
I wasn’t only questioning the decision on the basis of swimming, I was also referring to their questionable-at-best academic programming. Chances are for most college swimmers that they won’t be headed to the Olympics and be able to make a viable living off of swimming, thus getting a solid degree is pretty important. A diploma from Liberty is barely a degree of higher education.
By the way, congrats to her & wishing her success at Liberty👍
These are announcements are to congratulate the student-athlete. They should not be a public forum for commenting on the swimmer’s choice, program, or coach. There are plenty of other sites on the internet to express your opinions if you so choose. Congrats to Sydney! And no, I do not know her but she seems happy with her choice and THAT is what is important. 🙂 I would say this about any swimmer because swimming in college is a big commitment.
Are they? I didn’t realize that SwimSwam was actually your child’s yearbook. Here I thought it was a news website.
I don’t even have a kid in college and have never sent one of these in. As I said before, I don’t even know Sydney. Guess you don’t like the opinion pieces on here either, not to mention the paid advertisements. If SwimSwam didn’t want people to send in commitments, then they wouldn’t ask for them. Guess you don’t see some threads turn ridiculously political, having absolutely nothing to do with the original piece. Those are true garbage and have no place on a swim “news” website.
It can/has gotten a bit “ugly” on here (I’ve been rowing in that boat before; trying to keep it a bit more “civil” here lately though)!
I’m all for expression as long as it doesn’t involve cursing or demeaning a swimmer on here. If ya “dish it out”, better know that it’ll boomerang back at ya!!
Congrats Sydney!!!!
I’m asking a serious question–what is the appeal of Liberty? No offense to her, but I can’t understand why anyone who could go somewhere else would choose Liberty.
Why not Liberty?
23 down votes yet no one has answered the question.
Because they don’t know anything about the program. Vox and Salon don’t cover swimming. So they can’t answer your question from the “in the water” standpoint.
I’ve done a bit of research about their swimming program, and frankly, they don’t seem to be anything special as a mid-major especially compared to where she was originally committed to, Kentucky. Pus Liberty’s academics are questionable at best–some people wouldn’t even consider a degree from LU as a certification of higher education. Not to be disparaging, but from what I’ve read about students who have gone there, many of them would attest that you could get a better education at a community college. Out of 650 ranked colleges by Forbes, Liberty comes in at 585(!).
Coach Jake is basically the Obi-Wan Kenobi of swimming. This is the biggest reason!!
Furthermore…regarding Sydney…
1. Faith aspect – maybe she’s a believer and wanted to further her education at a faith-based school
2. Non-party culture – perhaps not every college student wants to party 4 days of the week nor be pressured to do so
3. Brand new facilities including a 50m pool with a separate well
4. Great training and a fast program. Liberty routinely beats “big-name” programs in relays every year – including Minnesota in the 200/400 free relays last year. They routinely send swimmers to NCAA’s and have scored twice since starting the program from scratch in 2010.
5. Maybe scholarship played a role – fully funded with full cost of attendance scholarships with… Read more »
Sorry, at which meet did Liberty beat Minnesota in relays?
Seems unbelievable right?
2020 Conference Championships. Minnesota (Big 10), Liberty (CCSA). Liberty is faster than you might think.
Oh, you’re not actually making that statement in the context of an actual race – just times. Gotch’ya. In any case, I think you could find a lot of mid-major schools with swimmers or relays here and there that are faster than Power 5 swimmers/relays. I’m not sure that’s as impressive as you seem to think it is. A statement like “Liberty routinely beats Power 5 schools in dual meets” might have been though.
And to be sure, there are a number of mid-major schools that could beat a whole bunch of Power 5 schools in a dual meet (thinking of Harvard or Denver, among others, on the men’s side as great examples).
And, not that I am saying she’s making a poor choice in choosing Liberty over Kentucky. This athlete has her reasons and far be it from me to judge what school is a better fit for her. Someone above listed totally legitimate reasons for why someone might choose Liberty. I know the decision is not easy, so I am quite sure she and her parents are making the best decision they can. Good luck to her!
Well said.
For some larger context, how Liberty’s times would have stacked at 2020 B1Gs:
200 FR.R.: 8th place
400 FR.R.: 8th place
800 Fr.R.: 12th place
200 M.R.: 6th place (ahead of Wis, Purdue, Iowa)
400 M.R.: 10th place
Just for fun you should check 2018.
Or 2014. And 2013.
I think his point was that it is routine, not here and there. Every year the relays beat a lot of programs they “shouldn’t” and it would shock people to see them side by side.
Yes he is…and the man can recruit!
Religion.
Have you researched the program?
I’ve done a bit of research about their swimming program, and frankly, they don’t seem to be anything special as a mid-major especially compared to where she was originally committed to, Kentucky. Pus Liberty’s academics are questionable at best–some people wouldn’t even consider a degree from LU as a certification of higher education. Not to be disparaging, but from what I’ve read about students who have gone there, many of them would attest that you could get a better education at a community college. Out of 650 ranked colleges by Forbes, Liberty comes in at 585(!).
I wouldn’t consider them a mid-major program. Collegeswimming ranks anyone not in a Power 5 conference as a mid-major, but Liberty is a true Power 5 program. If you don’t think them anything special, ok, that’s your call. But what does that say about the plethora of P5 schools they beat in relays every year?
As for rankings, not everyone makes a subjective ranking a high priority for choosing a school. You’ll just have to accept that – some people prioritize the experience over the “ranking.” The “quality” of education is subjective. Beauty/beholder.
My daughter is starting her senior year as a swimmer for Liberty University Swimming & Diving. She was recruited by two SEC schools, a Big 10 school, a Big 12 school, and more. She has absolutely loved it at Liberty. The coaches are fantastic, the facilities are world-class, the team culture year-to-year has been off the charts in a good way.
Awesome swimmer and amazing person!! Congratulations Sydney!