NCAA qualifier Kacper Piotrowski has entered the transfer portal, becoming the fifth Alabama swimmer to explore alternatives this offseason.
The 6-foot-4 freestyle specialist from Poland has two years of collegiate eligibility remaining.
The Crimson Tide parted ways with Piotrowski in early April, soon after he helped Alabama’s 800 free relay place 10th at the NCAA Championships with a 1:34.49 anchor. The Crimson Tide men placed 19th at NCAAs in their second season under head coach Margo Geer, snapping a streak of eight straight top-15 finishes.
“At the beginning of April I was told that I’m not the best fit for the direction of Alabama’s Swim & Dive program,” Piotrowski told SwimSwam. “I’ve never thought I’d be in the position that I’m in right now, so I decided to put my name in the transfer portal. Even though this one hurts and still does not feel right, I wish nothing but the best for Bama’s program. It was a privilege to represent the script of A and the University of Alabama.”
Piotrowski posted a personal-best 1:34.53 in the 200 free at the 2023 SEC Championships in February, but he fell short of his best times in the 100 free and 50 free from last year’s SECs. He was Alabama’s third-fastest 200 freestyler last season behind Charlie Hawke (1:31.20) and Kaique Alves (1:32.93). At the 2022 SEC Championships, Piotrowski scored in the 50 (19.61), 100 (43.01), and 200 free (1:34.87).
Piotrowski joins Alabama sophomore Mateo Miceli (butterfly), sophomore Linus Kahl (breaststroke/IM), sophomore Jackson Dement (freestyle), and senior Jocelyn Fisher (breaststroke/butterfly/IM) in the portal. Over the past few weeks, the Crimson Tide have also lost two associate head coaches, James Barber and Ozzie Quevedo.
Before Piotrowski arrived at Alabama, he had already competed internationally several times, including at the 2017 European Youth Festival, the 2018 European Junior Championships and the 2019 European Junior Championships. At the 2019 Euro Juniors, he split 49.63 on Poland’s 400 free relay, which helped them to a fourth-place finish.
Letting Coach Barber go could be her biggest mistake to date; Coach Ozzie left for calmer waters. With those two gone, it will be easier for opponents to cross the river….
uh, Bama losing a good one
It’s not at DEFCON Level 1 like Neon Deion’s football team.
Sad to see this man leave, but nothing but a perfect opportunity to move to a program that is on the rise such as mckendree university.
Over/Under on number of weeks before a HC change?
I’ll start at 16.
I’ll go over.
Alabama athletics is reeling right now with scandal after scandal. I don’t think the AD is going to give himself another situation to deal with by trying to find a new head coach relatively late in the game. I think Margo gets another year to straighten it out.
straighten it out? Is that what we’re calling it?
I’ll agree with over though, as much as swim parents/swimmers/alumni may be bothering him, he’s probably not losing as much money as he may be from his other issues
Spot on….Greg Byrne selected Margo after they cut ties with Coley and isn’t going to cut ties this early after only two years. And Byrne was the AD at Arizona when Geer swam there so she may get the benefit of the doubt as well. As far as one more year, I think the hoped for outcome could be if results are poor is that Margo decides to leave and realizes she’s over her head rather than depend on the AD terminating her.
Bryne really didn’t care who was the coach. That’s the real issue. He still doesn’t.
What do y’all think the chances are of them straight up just cutting the program? Men’s program at least
I saw some data that athletics programs with the most resources have been cutting sports at the highest rates recently. So that was interesting. Because Alabama is pretty close to the top of that “most resources” list.
And Greg’s dad cut swim programs at TWO schools.
So I don’t know. I don’t want to put that juju out into the world, but I can see the signs that might make someone ask that question.
Alumni should start planning to save the program now.
Don’t forget that the AD’s dad cut swimming during his tenure at University of Oregon! I don’t think he cares about swimming either.
He also cut the men at Nebraska.
Ask the ex Bama baseball coach what he’d take.
Terri 2.0?
There’s no allegations of abuse here, just incompetence. Don’t think it’s fair to make a Terri comparison
I think she is trying to clear the house for a couple of reasons
The other question is that head coaching a college team isn’t as much about being a trainer but fielding a team and staff… which she may be learning about and has no one to delegate it to.
That might be true if they have big time recruits coming in that need money. The 5th years from the Covid days are gone.
She had plenty of people to delegate to already. Not sure it matters.
Very fair indeed!!
SEC teams, as a whole, have had a LOT of transfers/injury/people staying home…
TN, U of Fl, LSU, Alabama… Arkansas has been surprisingly quiet, compared to years past
I don’t think you can put LSU or Tennessee anywhere near the conversation of those other programs
?
Great teammate that was well respected and loved by all. Love you KP