After just one season at Stanford University, NCAA champion Claire Curzan is transferring to the University of Virginia, where she’ll be eligible for the three-time defending champion Cavaliers next fall after an Olympic redshirt year.
Curzan announced her Olympic redshirt along with Torri Huske back in April. She was hospitalized with severe illness prior to U.S. Trials a month ago and nearly scratched out of the meet, but still placed 3rd in the 50 butterfly (25.74), 100 backstroke (58.59), and 200 back (2:06.35). However, she missed qualifying for the U.S. International Team after picking up a silver medal at the Tokyo 2021 Olympics (women’s 4×100 medley relay) and five medals at the 2022 World Championships (two golds and three bronzes, including an individual bronze in the 100 back).
A couple weeks after U.S. Trials ended, the 19-year-old North Carolina native entered the NCAA transfer portal. Even if she wanted to change her mind about her Olympic redshirt, she wouldn’t be eligible to compete for UVA until the 2024-25 season because she entered the portal after the women’s swimming transfer window closed on April 30. She’s expected to enroll in classes this fall while preparing for the Paris 2024 Olympics.
Coming into her freshman season at Stanford, Curzan was the No. 1 high school recruit in the country by a long shot. She dropped nearly two seconds en route to a national title in the 200 back (1:47.43), but was 3rd and 4th at NCAAs in the 100 back (50.08) and 100 fly (50.09), respectively. She saw a .06-second drop in her best 100 back time in college, but did not improve her 100 fly.
With the loss of Curzan, Huske’s redshirt, and the departures of fifth year seniors Taylor Ruck and Morgan Tankersley, Stanford will be losing 123 of their 183 individual points from NCAAs this past season.
Meanwhile in Charlottesville, the rich get richer as Curzan will join four top-10 recruits in the high school class of 2024 who are committed to UVA next fall: Leah Hayes, Anna Moesch, Katie Christopherson, and Bailey Hartman. The Cavaliers may struggle slightly by their standards next season without Kate Douglass — and depending on whether the Walsh sisters elect to take an Olympic redshirt as well — but major reinforcements are on the way.
Come on. Please. Meehan can hardly stand up.
Please, somebody, “Throw the damn towel!”
~ Trainer Tony ‘Duke’ Evers, Rocky IV
Regan Smith
Women’s 50 meter backstroke
WC Final
2022 – 27.47
2023 – 27.11
Regan Smith
Women’s 100 meter backstroke
WC Final
2022 – 58.22
2023 – 57.78
Regan Smith
Women’s 200 meter backstroke
WC Final
2022 – DNS
2023 – 2:04.94
Regan Smith
Women’s 4 x 100 meter medley relay
WC Final
2022 – 58.40
2023 – 57.68
The Greg Meehan apologists can choke on the numbers. Since Regan Smith failed to qualify in the W 200 BK at the 2022 International Team Trials, it’s cause for Greg Meehan’s immediate dismissal. The incompetence of the head coach of the Stanford women’s swimming program can no longer be tolerated.
Congratulations and good luck Claire ❤️❤️❤️
Torri Huske
Women’s 50 meter butterfly
WC Final
2022 – 25.45
2023 – 25.64
Torri Huske
Women’s 100 meter butterfly
WC Final
2022 – 55.64
2023 – 56.61
Torri Huske
Women’s 4 x 100 meter freestyle relay
WC Heats (2023)/Final (2022)
2022 – 52.96
2023 – 53 55
Torri Huske
Women’s 4 x 100 meter medley relay
WC Heats (2023)/Final (2022)
2022 – 56.67
2023 – 57.42
Torri Huske
Mixed 4 x 100 meter medley relay
WC Final
2022 – 56.17
2023 – 58.19
Regression at its finest across the board. Totally unacceptable. You wonder why Claire Curzan entered the transfer portal.
bruh that’s not her.
It’s the regression that is the impetus for the exodus. The downward spiral awaits Claire Curzan if she stays at Stanford University with Greg Meehan, as head coach of the women’s swimming program, for her sophomore year.
Class act by claire. No blame whatsoever in her statement
And the rich get richer.
University of Virginia….thats a funny way to say SMU
Stanford is a horrible and overrated swimming program. Coaches and parents, keep your athletes AWAY from there if they have ANY goals of getting faster out of high school and reaching their potential!
Is this relay name guy new alt?
can’t be. the comment is too concise
Meehan is quickly developing a worst reputation than Richard Quick did for wasting most of the immense talent that walks into his program…
or maybe these people are not built for real studying or something something… not very intelligent to draw conclusions for one data point, with real college education you might just understand that.