After we reported yesterday that Kendall Shields had entered the NCAA transfer portal, the former University of Texas swimmer has confirmed with SwimSwam that she’s heading to the University of Tennessee in the SEC. After one season with the Longhorns, she’s headed to Rocky Top to join the Vols, four months after Kaitlin Harty announced the same move.
After lots of prayer and consideration, I’ve decided to attend and swim at the University of Tennessee in the fall! I fell in love with the team’s positive energy and family culture as well as the support from coaches Matt Kredich, Josh Huger and Ashley Jahn. While I am so thankful for my year at Texas, I can’t wait to embark on the rest of my career in Knoxville! GO VOLS!! 🧡
Shields’ Top Times Out of High School
(fastest times done during her freshman year of college shown in parentheses)
- 200 free: 1:48.45 (1:48.72)
- 500 free: 4:55.23 (4:50.51)
- 100 back: 53.98 (54.69)
- 200 back: 1:56.14 (1:56.57)
- 50 free: 23.85 (25.97)
- 100 free: 50.75 (52.61)
*A bolded time means a lifetime best done in college
In her freshman year with Texas, Shields hit a lifetime best in one event, the 500 free, where she dropped more than four seconds at the mid-season invite meet. Other than that, she was a bit off of bests in her other events. She competed at the Big 12 Champs, finishing in the top 20 in the 200 free, 500 free, and 200 back.
Shields stayed very close to home with her initial college choice to Texas — she went to Vandegrift High School in Austin and trained club with Austin Swim Club.
Tennessee graduated just five roster-members from last season, though one of those was Maddy Banic, one of their most dangerous sprinters. The Vols will lose a huge class next year, including juggernauts Erika Brown, Meghan Small, Stanzi Moseley, and Tess Cieplucha.
Shields would’ve ranked 3rd in the 200 back, 4th in the 500 free, and 9th in the 200 free on Tennessee’s top times list last season with her lifetime bests. Her 200 back best time would’ve snuck into the 200 back C final at the 2019 SEC Championships.
She joins the program along with fellow transfer Harty and incoming freshmen Abby Samansky, Isabella Gable, Whittney Hamilton, Kenna Haney, Lyndsey Huizenga, and Natalie Ungaretti.
Tennessee is doing some amazing recruiting too. I think they are building a Championship program.
Forgive me if I’m wrong, I didn’t think conversations with new schools were supposed to happen until an athlete was in the transfer portal, there is no way that decision came in 24 hours. Or was the SwimSwam article behind the timeline when it reported the transfer yesterday? This isn’t getting on this particular swimmer, just generally curious as to things are happening in real-time.
Hey John – sometimes these things can move fast. Kendall was in the portal for a few days before we reported. Remember that most swimmers take multiple recruiting trips in high school – so they already have some relationship with other coaches, and the good coaches won’t burn those bridges – “hey how are you doing” when you bump into each other on deck. I’m not sure if this was the case with Kendall, but like you, just generally.
I don’t have good data on it, but I’d guess that some high percentage of American transfers wind up at another school they took an official visit to in high school.
Portal non-portal whatever! I think these kids should go where they are happy and whatever path that takes them I hope they take it! Not every place is for every one and with the talent that these kids have they should utilize it to wherever they want to go! Hook “Em and your awesome Kendall and I now have a few Volunteers to root for!
Looks like with those times she was probably a walk on at Texas. Maybe she didn’t earn a scholarship at Texas but Tennessee gave her some money. Hope she does great at Tennessee
She is headed north, to Tennessee, and ole Dean is headed south…
Seems to be something toxic stewing in Austin these days.
Care to elaborate or just trying to stir something up?
Being Californicated
Go KENDALL! Hope that Tennessee is a good fit.
There’s a reason I hang my hat in Tennessee…