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Claire Nguyen Announces Transfer from Arizona State to Tennessee

After one season at Arizona State University, Claire Nguyen has announced the decision to transfer to Tennessee. She is at least the 2nd woman to transfer in to the Tennessee program this season, after at least 2 (Kendall Shields and Kaitlin Harty) transferred in last season.

“I am grateful for the time that I spent at Arizona State; however, I feel that Tennessee is a better fit for me both academically and athletically. I am so excited to be joining such an amazing program and can not wait to see what the future holds for me as a Lady Vol!”

Nguyen’s last meet for Arizona State came in the team’s dual against Northwestern on January 4th.

At the team’s mid-season invitational, she swam a lifetime best in the 200 free (1:48.39), 500 free (4:46.85), and 1650 free (16:18.98).

Best Times

Pre-College Best Freshman Season Best Drop
200 free 1:48.46 1:48.39 0.07
500 free 4:49.23 4:46.85 2.38
1000 free 9:55.39 10:09.60
1650 free 16:55.13 16:18.98 36.15

She joins a rebuilt distance group for the Tennessee Volunteers that will also include incoming East Carolina transfer Kristen Stege, who in her freshman season at ECU went from having never swum the 1650 free to breaking the AAC Conference Record and qualifying for the NCAA Championships. Their incoming freshman class also includes a number of mid-distance freestylers.

The distance freestyles were a scoring weakness for the Volunteers en route to the 2020 SEC Championship. The 1650 free (28 points) and 500 free (25 points) were 2 of the 3 lowest-scoring events for Tennessee at that meet.

Nguyen’s best time in the 500 free would have placed in the C final at last year’s SEC Championship meet, while her best time in the 1650 free would have placed her 9th.

The transfer will bring Nguyen closer to home. Prior to Arizona State, she attended Riverside High School in Leesburg, Virginia.

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1Volnation
4 years ago

Welcome to big orange.

SWIMGUY12345
4 years ago

What’s her ethnic background? So curious with her last name.

Division III
Reply to  SWIMGUY12345
4 years ago

Why does that matter? None of your business

SWIMGUY12345
Reply to  Division III
4 years ago

Just curious as another mixed race individual. Don’t get so sensitive.

PsychoDad
Reply to  SWIMGUY12345
4 years ago

Good luck to Clair, especially given last name. My 4 kids are half Nguyen.

swimfan210_
4 years ago

Tennessee will be really good in the years to come! Definitely a program on the rise. Congratulations Claire!

Raiders
4 years ago

Josh Huger has made an unbelievable impact on Tennessee’s recruiting efforts. Since his arrival, they’ve been on fire, much different than before…They need to wrap him up and keep in Knoxville for a long time.

Swim Baron
Reply to  Raiders
4 years ago

Huger has made a big impact. Recruiting also took off for both teams when they split the program. Kredich and Jahn focusing on women, Asti and Murphy on men. Seems to be good energy all around.

Ladyvoldisser
Reply to  Swim Baron
4 years ago

Absolutely true this program is one to watch. I give the woman VOLS 2 years and the man VOLS 4 years before they win NCAAs. All four of these coaches have genius IQ and possess more skill than any coaching staff in the USA. Amazing does not begin to identify the qualities of humanness, kindness, political correctness and empathy these outstanding people pass down to the swimmers. The power of the coonskin hat is undeniable.

PVSFree
Reply to  Ladyvoldisser
4 years ago

Woah this is quite the hot take – both Tennessee teams winning NCAAs within 4 years. Don’t think I’ve seen this one before

Horninco
Reply to  Ladyvoldisser
4 years ago

I’ll take that bet

Alum14
Reply to  Raiders
4 years ago

Great recruiter and a better person. Great contributor to any positive on-deck culture. I am sure Kredich would love to keep him in Knoxville for the foreseeable future if he can

Ladyvoldisser
4 years ago

Oh man these Woman VOLS are on fire. No way they can lose SECs in 2021…mail em the trophy!

Ol' Longhorn
Reply to  Ladyvoldisser
4 years ago

I’ll upvote you for going with Woman (though Women would’ve been better) over that lame Lady stuff.

Ol' Longhorn
4 years ago

Why’s she stop swimming in meets after January 4?

Thomas
Reply to  Ol' Longhorn
4 years ago

She swam Jan. 11th. I assume her season stopped there because she wasn’t on a travel roster for champs.

Big Small
Reply to  Thomas
4 years ago

not in fact the case… She was removed at that point in the season for issues not publicly noted.

Ol' Longhorn
Reply to  Big Small
4 years ago

Don’t leave us hanging…

VFL
4 years ago

Nice! According to Huger’s IG, there’s another piece coming as well. Can’t wait to see who it is. I’m thinking maybe Julia Mrozinski from Germany.

Swimmer420
4 years ago

Odds of an Indiana transfer next week now? Feel like these two schools just alternate weeks.

Charge
Reply to  Swimmer420
4 years ago

You were way off

About Braden Keith

Braden Keith

Braden Keith is the Editor-in-Chief and a co-founder/co-owner of SwimSwam.com. He first got his feet wet by building The Swimmers' Circle beginning in January 2010, and now comes to SwimSwam to use that experience and help build a new leader in the sport of swimming. Aside from his life on the InterWet, …

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