Versatile freestyler Michelle Craddock will transfer to North Carolina State University next fall after the 5-year suspension of Western Kentucky’s varsity swimming & diving programs.
Craddock is the first swimmer with a varsity letter at Western Kentucky whose transfer we’ve reported, though Zach Apple and Asia Quentin, both of whom had signed National Letters of Intent, have announced new choices.
Craddock has one year of eligibility remaining, and leaves Western Kentucky ranked 2nd all-time in program history in the 100 free (49.76), 5th in the 50 free (23.10), 2nd in the 200 free (1:48.10), and 2nd in the 500 free (4:48.27). Her time in the 200 at the 2015 Conference USA Championships would have been a school record were it not for Susan Marquess’ 1:46.32 two days earlier (Marquess has no eligibility remaining).
She will join an NC State freestyle group that is among the hottest in the nation and will have to battle for relay spots as a senior. The Wolfpack return their top six 100 freestylers (all 50.00 or faster) and all ten swimmers who flat-started the 200 free for them last season. If Craddock continues to swim well (she went best times in the 50-100-200-500 freestyles as a junior last season), she should earn a spot immediately on the team’s 800 free relay – she would’ve ranked 2nd among Wolfpack women in the 2014-2015 season in that event.
Craddock originally hails from Jacksonville, Florida and Bishop Kelly High School.
The most recent transfer was one of the biggest pieces of the Western Kentucky fallout that was being watched nationally, but there’s still a few impact swimmers that have yet to announce their decisions publicly. A list of some of the highlights, including number of years of eligibility expected, is below:
- Logan Graumann, 23.07 50 free, 3 years left (women)
- Nadine Laemmler, 53.27 100 back/1:53.9 200 back, 2 years left (women)
- Haley Black, 52.99 100 fly, 3 years left (women)
- Fabian Schwingenschlogl, 51.66 100 breast/1:53.25 200 breast, 2 years left (men)
- John Myhre, 49.9 100 back/20.39 50 free (men)