Croatian Junior National Teamer Nikola Miljenic, who is coming off his freshman year at Indiana University, will transfer to the University of Southern California in the fall, as announced on Twitter by USC Swim & Dive:
Excited to welcome Nikola Miljenic, a sprinter from Croatia, to the Trojan Family! #Fighton18 pic.twitter.com/NQzMWiZT58
— USC Swim & Dive (@USCswim) July 2, 2018
Miljenic represented Croatia at the 2015 FINA Junior World Championships and the 2016 LEN European Junior Championships. He posted top-30 times in the 50 free and 50 fly at the former, and finished 4th in the 50 free with a personal-best time of 22.48 at the latter.
At Indiana, Miljenic got his first taste of short course yards swimming. He earned three NCAA “B” cuts in the 50 free (19.48), 100 free (43.28), and 100 fly (46.44). He received Second-Team All-Big Ten honors for his performance on the 200 free relay squad that won silver at B1Gs (with an A cut of 1:16.56). Individually he placed 9th in the 50 free, 10th in the 100 fly, and 12th in the 100 free at the conference meet. Miljenic posted the Hoosiers’ 2nd-fastest 100 fly of the year, the 4th-fastest 50 free, and the 5th-fastest 100 free.
Top times:
| Event | LCM | SCY |
| 50 free | 22.48 | 19.48 (19.22 relay split) |
| 100 free | 50.67 | 43.28 |
| 50 fly | 24.66 | — |
| 100 fly | 54.29 | 46.44 |
Miljenic would have been the 4th-fastest Trojan in the 50 free and 100 free in 2017-18. He will come in just after sprinters Santo Condorelli, Dylan Carter, and Ralf Tribuntsov graduate, and will join a sprint group that includes Kyle Grissom, Robert Glinta and Justin Nguyen.
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At this point, Cody will show up to vlog and the pool’s going to be empty….
His dream is to play with Lebron. Has to be in LA for that to happen
That’s it! Nikola wanted a great place to hang out and Staples Center is just two Metro Rail Blue Line stops from the USC Campus in downtown LA.
I thought Stickles was a mad genius of sprinters. Why would such a guy leave?
Maybe IU needed his scholarships for Zach Apple? Apple was a very late pick up and I doubt IU had money available for next season without making some room for it.
I am just speculating here. Definitely interesting…. or sketchy.
He swam pretty well as a freshman, don’t think you need to knock the coach. Agree with below- foreign swimmers are usually on full rides and ZApple wanted to come in. Some people also want to be on teams and swim in relays etc. Miljenic would be boarderline to get that chance especially with the class coming in. Just my opinion.
One might imagine that foreign swimmers are, but that is not the case
Operative word….mad….many ways to “make” a swimmer leave not involving genius.
He is without question. This guy could have left for a number of reasons, none of which had to do with coach or swimming, but continue to speculate on.
Fills a “position of need” with Carter and Candorelli graduating. Miljenic’s sprint freestyle times (B cuts) look good as does his 100 BU time of 46.44.
Miljenic joins the Croatian athletic community at USC consisting of water polo player Marin Dusic and another rumored water polo transfer from San Jose State named Jacob Mercej who had seven 6-goal scoring games including one against the Trojans.L
Looking at the SwimSwam Transfer Tracker, what’s up at Indiana, the Big-10 champ? Six transfers out including Miljenic and 3 others to Arizona State.
Rising junior and seniors… junior captians…scorers at B1G’s and NC’s…IU probs
looze wanted to give miljenic’s money to apple.
Truth no violation there….right
right, so he went somewhere where he’d be more appreciated
Moves to USC always let fans know when a swimmer is unable to put in the work and instead chooses to find easier supplemental ways to boost performance.
or it could just be the weather…
Recent prominent USC swimmers who have never tested positive for anything – Condorelli, Carter, Glinta, Quintero, Coulapev, Morozov, Malone, Vissering, etc…..
Not really sure you want to include Morozov there.
Glinta just got there, Vissering was pretty solid in HS and had an ehh year as a junior world champion. Carter took a year off?? why? Condorelli trained with a HS team on an Olympic Year, Morozoc…. HA – no drugs….
Glinta has apparently left USC after one year. Sounds like IU needed money for Apple. Niko’s times were excellent for a freshman but don’t compare to Apple.
And that my friend is an NC and IU promise violation…rules for only some?
Glinta left???
We should clarify that Glinta is listed on USC’s roster for 2018-2019, and we have not been able to confirm that he has left. It may be true, or it may not be, but for now, take it for what it’s worth.
Gorb may have a different definition of “on the team” than the rest of us anyway 😉
Yeah!! Or maybe Bloomington is more fun than Los Angeles!
Dave Solo With a spicy pick up
ANOTHA ONE!