In the turnover of the new staff, the Texas women have lost two swimmers to transfer this off-season.
New head coach Carol Capitani, however, has gotten a big one back as well, with the addition of Shelby Webber from Oregon State, who is transferring after one season with the Beavers.
“I officially signed to University of Texas a few weeks ago, and I’ll be transferring there and starting this fall,” Webber said of the transfer. “I’m just really happy to be a part of the team and I couldn’t be more excited to be going to Texas.”
This could be a very big piece to the Longhorns’ lineup next season, and at the very least should develop into an All-Conference swimmer individually and an All-American relay swimmer if things go well. She missed her year-end taper in her first year of NCAA competition, but still managed to eke out a C-Final in the 100 backstroke. Her best time, though was a 53.63 at the Arena Invitational in November – a time that would have made her second-best on the Texas team last season behind only Lily Moldenhauer.
The process began while Kim Brackin was still the head coach in Austin, but Webber didn’t make her final decision until after Capitani had taken over.
She’s also a very good free relay piece, with flat-start bests of 49.85 and 1:47.82. Those times would both rank her 4th among the returning Longhorns for the 2012-2013 season; that at least puts her as a valuable piece to that training group, and in a best-case scenario helps soften the graduation of Karlee Bispo ever-so-slightly. The Longhorns will be looking for that superstar to emerge for their relays next season, but can make some of that up with depth.
The versatile Huntington Beach native is also a solid 200 IM’er, with a 2:00.28 done during her senior year in high school.
Webber is the second Oregon State backstroker to head to the Lonestar State in the last few seasons; Anna Heller just wrapped up a two-year run with Texas A&M.