Carl Bloebaum, the #5 recruit in the high school class of 2022, has entered the NCAA transfer portal after competing for Virginia Tech for half-a-season.
Bloebaum, a native of Mason, Ohio, came out of high school as the Ohio State Champion in the 100 fly (45.68). He was also the 2021 US Olympic Trials Wave I Champion in the 200 meter fly, and finished as high as 8th in the 50-meter fly at the 2022 International Team Trials.
In spite of his success in high school, Bloebaum struggled to return to his best times in his one semester at Virginia Tech.
Times Comparison:
| Best Times in HS |
Best Times at VT
|
|
| 50 free | 20.27 | N/A |
| 100 free | 44.52 | 49.19 (dual) |
| 100 fly | 45.68 | 48.58 |
| 200 fly | 1:42.94 | 1:50.64 |
| 100 back | 47.37 | 50.35 |
| 200 back | 1:44.67 | 1:52.55 |
Bloebaum was the fastest swimmer in the class of 2022 in both the 100 fly and 200 fly coming out of high school and a member of a National Age Group Record-setting relay.
His best times out of high school would make him an almost-qualifier for the NCAA Championships (a tenth shy in the 100 fly) and a multi-event ACC Championships A-Finalist.
SwimSwam has reached out to Bloebaum about his freshman season at Virginia Tech and where he’s seeking transfer to, but have not yet received a response.
Entering the NCAA Transfer Portal does not require student-athletes to transfer; rather, it allows them the opportunity to contact other schools and coaches about the possibility of transferring.
While Bloebaum’s last meet for Virginia Tech came in November, under new rules he was only eligible to enter the transfer portal after NCAA Invites were announced. With the exception of graduate transfers, swimmers and divers now have a 60 day window after the announcement of those invites to enter the transfer portal.
Bloebaum entered the portal on March 11.
Bloebaum has three seasons of eligibility remaining.
I watched Carl swim in the Ohio HS State meet. He’s a great young man, competes with a lot of heart and passion and has a wonderful family. I hope and pray he gets many more days in the sun, wherever he chooses to go!
Cal could be a good fit with him training with Jett & Rose. Plus all the 2back swimmers.
We’d love to see him at ASU. Getting our NIL group going. Bowman = Olympics
Giving props to Carl(I assume it’s him) for actually being the first person I’ve seen to actually comment on their own article, but not give a comment to SwimSwam. Keeping his cards close to the chest. Gotta respect it. Best of luck to him wherever he goes!
I like to let the commenters guess
Indiana and OSU nearby and both have great training partners and schools. Texas has enough great guys coming in and why not be on NCAA team rather than watching? Best to you and I am sure you’ll have success anywhere.
I don’t think Texas has any recruits with his event strengths coming in, he could be a big relay asset to them
Texas needs a flyer or two.
Why not go to Ohio State? Getting transfers is the only way they can recruit these days. But the culture.
Good luck Carl!
I’m just here for the personality clash and the significant other comments that the commenters seem to want to pile on the females that enter the transfer portal….
Nonsense. Lots of male athletes (such as Dressel) get all kinds of speculation on their personal lives.
So that makes it okay?
It’s hardly nonsense. The female transfer portal situations are always loaded with that type of speculation. And hardly limited to swimming. They have already been several examples among track and field portal entries.
However, it’s partially because females tend to be more open about it, and when they do say something later it’s often indeed related to the variables that were postulated.