NCAA Champion Max McHugh plans to use his 5th season of eligibility at the University of Minnesota next season, a spokesperson for the program told SwimSwam this weekend.
McHugh s the defending NCAA Champion in both the 100 and 200 yard breaststrokes, and last week in Columbus won his 4th and 5th Big Ten titles in the breaststroke races.
He is the fastest swimmer in the NCAA in both events this season.
McHugh, as with all swimmers who competed in the 2020-2021 season, was afforded a 5th year of eligibility because of the challenges related to the COVID-19 season. While many NCAA Champions and All-Americans took advantage of that opportunity this season, the numbers are expected to dwindle in future years.
That shift is because of the structure of the 5th year. In the 2021-2022 season, athletes who didn’t transfer and used a 5th year don’t count against each team’s scholarship cap (though schools still have to be willing to pay for them). Starting next year, athletes who use a 5th year of eligibility will count against scholarship limits.
Some schools already have that money or those roster spots committed to incoming freshman and prefer to keep it there rather than have a senior for one more season.
In the case of McHugh, though, he was the team’s only qualifier for last year’s NCAA Championship meet, and his 40 points single-handedly earned 21st place at the meet. With such a gap between him and the rest of the roster, the gamble of using a scholarship on him keeps the program in the conversation nationally. It also provides a bridge for a good class of 2022 signed by the Gophers that includes 54-second breaststroker Drew Kistler among a few others with NCAA Championship qualifying potential down the road.
😨😨😨
Jokes aside. Hope he joins me in under 50.
LMAO
Why the change in scholarship rules for 5th years?
Ruins scholarship opportunity for incoming freshmen
Wouldn’t it hurt them more to have it come from the existing scholarships or is that what you mean?
Funded by athletics leaves scholarships for incomings.
Go train with Peaty
Maybe he could teach Peaty how to do a decent pullout?
Who does he even train with at McHugh University? Based off McHugh Universities showing at Big 10s the next fastest 100 breast stroker is over 5 seconds behind him and 10 seconds in the 200.
The freestyle group
LMFAO
Yes king
He definitely wants to break 50 bad
49.65/1:48.5 in March. Saw it first here.
This is great for Minnesota! I hope that some of the female seniors stay on also
Based on Senior Night I don’t think any of them are. I could be wrong though
I assume that any senior that had a “senior night” celebration and was honored on their IG won’t be using their 5th year–at least not at UM.