Rising senior Max Berg of Kentucky has entered his name into the NCAA transfer portal. Berg recently competed for France at 2023 Worlds.
Note: An athlete entering the transfer portal does not mean that they HAVE to transfer. Instead, it means that they are now allowed to communicate with other coaches about a potential transfer.
Although the deadline for men’s swimming and diving to enter the portal was back in May, Berg and the Kentucky program was granted an exception as the program has gone through a head coaching change.
Originally from France, Berg arrived at Kentucky in fall 2020. As a freshman, Berg made the ‘C’ final at SECs in the 100 free, swimming a 43.88 to finish 21st.
Berg had a huge sophomore season, making the SEC ‘B’ final of the 50, 100, and 200 freestyles. His highest finish came in the 200 free where hs swam a 1:33.99 to finish 10th. His 43 individual points tied him for the highest-scoring swimmer on the team, and third overall behind two divers. He went on to swim as a relay-only swimmer at NCAAs, helping the 800 free relay to a 17th place finish.
As a junior, Berg once again improved upon his best times. This season, he made his first SEC ‘A’ final(s) as he finished fourth in the 200 free and sixth in the 100 free. He also was 10th in the 50 free. He swam a personal best in all three events. He scored 67 individual points, the most of the team by over 20 points.
At 2023 NCAAs, Berg finished 29th in the 100 free and 31st in the 200 free. He also swam on the 800 free relay, helping the relay to a 19th place finish.
Berg’s best SCY times are:
- 50 free: 19.36
- 100 free: 42.11
- 200 free: 1:32.67
- 100 back: 46.22
- 200 IM: 1:46.53
Berg most recently competed at 2023 Worlds for France where he swam in prelims on both the team’s men’s 4×100 free relay as well as the mixed 4×100 free relay.
Sources told SwimSwam that former Kentucky head coach Lars Jorgensen was placed on leave at the beginning of May. Jorgenson resigned at the end of June.. Just over a week ago, Kentucky announced that Bret Lundgaard from the Princeton women’s program would become the team’s new head coach.
already an SMU mustang!
Guesses about why swimmers would wait to enter the portal and it became too late?
Something change over the summer? Minimal scholarship?
Bro the head coach got fired
Bro did not read the article‼️