A second Cal NCAA All-American swimmer, Daniel Carr, has confirmed to SwimSwam that he will return for a 5th season of collegiate swimming. Carr joins Trenton Julian, the NCAA runner-up last season in the 200 fly, in returning for the Golden Bears.
“I think the number one pusher for swimming next year is to have fun,” Carr told SwimSwam on Monday. “Having basically two Olympic training years mixed with a global pandemic can be exhausting for anybody. I’m excited to have at least one of my classmates, Trenton Julian, joining me next year! We are both honored to have this opportunity as we further ourselves athletically as well as academically.”
Carr scored 25 individual points at last year’s NCAA Championships via three scoring individual finishes. His top result was 4th place in the 200 back in 1:38.86. He also placed 11th in the 100 back in 45.32 and 13th in the 200 IM in 1:42.73.
That was actually fewer points than he scored at the 2019 NCAA Championship meet as a sophomore, where he scored 32 points and went personal bests in all three of those events.
He missed personal bests in each of his primary events during his senior season. In spite of being ‘off’ at NCAAs, he developed into a key relay leg for the team. He swam the 2nd leg of Cal’s runner-up 800 free relay (1:33.14), the 3rd leg of their winning 200 free relay (18.51), and the leadoff leg of their 3rd place 200 medley relay (20.79). Carr’s sprint freestyles have really developed later in his career at Cal, where he’s given a boost to what has been the country’s top sprint freestyle group in the last few seasons.
At last season’s NCAA Championship meet, Cal had 222 individual points scored by seniors – more than any other team in the country. Their top earner, 60-point scorer Ryan Hoffer, has turned pro and joined the DC Trident of the International Swimming League. The return of a combined 73 points from Julian and Carr, however, helps soften that blow.
Best Times in Yards:
- 50 free (rolling start) – 18.51
- 100 free (rolling start) – 41.65
- 200 free (rolling start) – 1:32.48
- 100 back – 44.86
- 200 back – 1:37.87
- 200 IM – 1:41.79
Other scoring seniors Bryce Mefford (36 points), Sean Grieshop (31 points), and Zach Yeadon (22 points) have not announced what their plans are for next season.
Carr completed his undergraduate degree at the end of the spring semester and will be entering Cal’s business graduate program in the fall.
The NCAA is allowing a waiver for all athletes who competed in Division I in the 2021-2022 season granting them a 5th season of collegiate eligibility. If athletes return to the same team for the 2021-2022 season, their scholarship will be exempted from the NCAA-imposed limits for that season. In all future years, though, athletes choosing to use a 5th season will count against their team’s totals.
Finally, something to get the Texas fans to quiet down. Florida and Cal will be battling it out next year with Texas far behind!
Please remember it is swimming AND diving.
Go check out divedove.com for the diving part
Sometimes swimming isn’t just about racing fast times. For the best teams it’s about leadership, relationships, character – this Cal team has that and more.
This 👆🏼👆🏼👆🏼💯
Don’t know if it has an article already, but Will Roberts also announced after Trials that he is transferring to Cal for a 5th year
It makes sense…with the postponed Olympic games in Tokyo happening this summer, another season of NCAA swimming puts us already at the mid-point for the 2024 Games. For any elite swimmers wanting to hold out hope to chase the dream, a paid for year of training with their college team is a lot easier than trying to strike out on their own.
Wow and if Mefford and/or Grieshop also return as people have mentioned, Cal will be loaded..
We know Texas has Windle returning, which is huge, but has anyone heard any rumors about Jiang, Katz, Staka, Sannem, Pomajevich, Larson, Bowman, or Neri? With the team Cal has coming back Texas might need a couple of them and/or someone like Matt King or David Schlicht to keep this close.
Only heard a rumor that Jiang is returning, others are unlikely.
Jiang’s name was on the ISL eligible rookie draft list, so I’d imagine he doesn’t have plans for a 5th year. But Texas could really use his fly leg.
Not a peep, we should know more the next 4-6 weeks
Cal looking strong though
Larson and Neri won’t be coming back, both retired.
Go bears!!!!!!!!
I feel like a lot of these swimmers are announcing coming back after they didn’t make an Olympic team. Without the Olympian clout to boost endorsements, it makes sense why they’d want to use that extra year of eligibility.