Lauren Driscoll, who collegeswimming.com rated as the #6 recruit in the high school class of 2012, will transfer from Cal prior to next season, the school confirmed today.
“Lauren has made the decision to move closer to home,” Cal head coach Teri McKeever said. “We wish her all the best in the future.”
Note: for those wondering, ‘home’ for Driscoll is just outside of Ft. Lauderdale.
Driscoll was a piece of Cal’s monstrous freshman class this past season that included swimmers like Liz Pelton, Rachel Bootsma, Kelly Naze, and Rachael Acker, all five of whom qualified for the NCAA Championships in their initial seasons in Berkeley.
Driscoll, a distance freestyler and IM’er, placed 47th in the 500, 37th in the 1650, and 40th in the 400 IM at this year’s NCAA Championships. Her season-best times, though, were all done at the Pac 12 Championships, where she scored 70 of Cal’s 1051.5 points. That included a 4:42.12 in the 500 free, a 16:25.19 in the 1650 free, and a 4:11.27 in the 400 IM. Those all ranked her among the top 11 freshmen in the nation.
As a prep swimmer in Florida, Driscoll was one of the top distance swimmers in the country, especially in long course. She earned gold medals at the 2010 Jr. Pan Pac Championships on the 800 free relay, and an individual gold (and Meet Record) in the 800 freestyle as well. She also has two Olympic Trials berths under her belt, having qualified in 2008 at just 14-years old.
This conversation seems to have outlived its usefulness. If anyone has anything else that they think needs to be added, feel free to email us and we’ll evaluate.
Lauren……UGA, UGA, UGA…..WOOF WOOF SIC EM…. We’d love to have ya!
First off my name is Jonathan Jordan and I swam at the university of Florida from 2008-2012. All of the swimmers “swammer” listed were on the team when I was swimming there and multiple were also my best friends and roommates. Of the 23 swimmers you listed only 5 of them transferred and 2 of these 5 were due to not agreeing with the program. The other 18 simply did not feel like swimming in college was to their best interest (for multiple various reasons that no one except them will ever fully understand). Many of these listed swimmers were non-scholarship or walk on athletes who coach troy graciously allowed to join the team because they positively affected the team… Read more »
Well Said
Since, when I used by screen name, SEC_G8R, the owners of swimswam called me out using my real name 🙂 I guess that I should just start posting with it. As a former Florida swimmer, it really stinks reading the comments bashing UF, namely by people that have never trained under the coaching staff (yes I realize that there are some people that have commented that have). Anyway, I got to swim under Troy and really liked it (only one year….I had three different coaches at UF but that is a different story). The program is not for everyone, just ask Troy or the coaching staff and they will flat out tell you. It is no secrete that style of… Read more »
I wish all of these Florida people would stop crying about how oppressed they are. From everything I see, they bring it on themselves. Every time they’re not picked to win everything, then everyone is a “hater” or a “gator hater” or a “joke” or whatever other cute little phrases kids are using these days. I saw somewhere (maybe it was cs, don’t remember) where someone called swimswam a joke for picking Florida to finish as low as 5th at NCAA’s. Turns out…they were giving them too much credit and were spot other than that DQ.
Sorry guys, you all bring it on yourselves by lashing out at everyone and anyone for not thinking youre super heroes. Almost as bad… Read more »
UF RECRUITER! Your theory is right on. ALANA….THANK YOU ! It’s hard to stand up and tell it like it is in the face of so many that will doubt you. I know you are telling the truth and so do many, many others that have lived it or witnessed it……including the offenders….yes offenders! You have taken some very big steps starting with standing up for yourself which I believe you couldn’t do when you were there. I wish you continued success in swimming and life and I’m proud of you for leaving. Florida is a great school that I was fortunate enough to attend (not an athlete) and I am embarrassed that you (and others) were allowed to treat… Read more »
UF swimmers thank you for being open and honest about the program, I am sure the parents and perspective students on here appreciate this. The recruiting trips are typically filled with all of the roses and bliss for any program so to get an inside look is refreshing. It is nothing that I hadn’t heard before from other students and parents within the program but having it in a very public forum like this may help out of state students or out of country students understand what they are getting into at UF.
I think that what you see at UF as far as transfers may also come from Troy’s recruiting strategy. Like California and a few other… Read more »
Men that have left uf over the last few years… Eric solis, Stephen Lichtner, George dennison, Scott sommer, Jeff Raymond, Robby Kennedy, John orban, Eric trots, Eric Moore, Devon Lochte, Ben corell, John Lehtonen, Harrison Gibson, Karl wolk, drew Crete, Jeb Halfacre, Alex glover, Jon Nunez, Taylor Dubrasky, Jose crescembini, csaba Gercsak, nick Caldwell, Harrison Curley.. You can’t make this stuff up
Ok…let’s take a look at a different school. Here are swimmers/divers who have left Michigan since 2008-09: Jason Austerman, Ryan Piza, Noah Whitener, Kasey Allen, Drew Coffin, Sam Hoekstra, Eric Huffman, Demetri Karedis, Chris Fraga, Kevin Wilson, Nate Argetsinger, Jeff Camalo, D’Voreaux Cann, Chris Ervasti, Mike Vaandering.
I don’t remember when Bottom took over, so some of that may be coaching change related. However, the point is, attrition at a major program shouldn’t come as such as shock. I’ve seen people lament on other threads that too many American swimmers prefer to walk-on/take less money at big-time programs rather than swim at lower divisions. I personally think [no numbers to back it up ;)] some of the attrition at these… Read more »
I’m cracking up because if anyone has ever taken a basic media law class they would know what slander/libel is and how ridiculous it is to throw that term around this comment thread.
Currently on the UF roster and having LD as one of my best friends in the world, I have grown up training with her. Without her, i know for a fact that I wouldnt be where I am today because as a 13-14 year old I was getting whooped up and down the pool by her and she was the one who ultimately taught me to train harder. One of the best aspects of Lauren’s swimming that I know of is that she is unbelievable in practice. She enjoys being sore more then anyone else i know. Back on our club team she could consistently physically and mentally break me during a set (inbetween random spur of the moment flips… Read more »