By Anya Pelshaw on SwimSwam
2023 NCAA qualifier Olivia Nel has announced she will transfer to NC State with two years of eligibility left. Nel began her collegiate career with UNC and entered the transfer portal in March.
Nel arrived for her freshman season in January 2022 with the Tar Heels. She scored 21 individual points at 2022 ACCs. Just two months after arriving, Nel swam at NCAAs as a relay-only swimmer. She helped the team to a 10th place finish in the 200 free relay and a 17th place finish in the 400 free relay.
She spent her whole sophomore season competing for UNC. She scored 16 individual points at 2023 ACCs and earned an invite to NCAAs based on her times from midseason. Her best times seen below in the 50, 100, and 200 freestyles come from 2022 midseason. At 2023 NCAAs, she finished 24th in the 100 back with a personal best 52.19. She also was 43rd in the 50 free and 44th in the 100 free. She also swam on UNC’s 200 and 400 free relays.
This past season, Nel competed in two dual meets for the Tar Heels before swimming at the US Open which was her last official competition. Nel was able to redshirt this past season due to injury (back) and will have two years of eligibility left.
Nel’s SCY best times are:
- 50 free – 21.92
- 100 free – 48.42
- 200 free – 1:47.96
- 100 back – 52.19
The NC State women finished 3rd at the 2024 ACC Championships and were only 39 points behind 2nd place Louisville. The NC State women went on to finish t-9th at 2024 NCAAs with 162 points.
The Wolfpack women will look to rebuild their sprint freestyle group as at least two of the top three 50 freestyles this past season will not return. Katharine Berkoff just finished her fifth year and Miriam Sheehan is transferring to Arizona State. Abby Arens finished her senior season and is currently in the transfer portal. Berkoff and Sheehan were also #1 and #3 in the 100 backstroke as Kennedy Noble was #2 this past season and returns for her junior season. In the 100 free, Nel’s best time would have been #2 on the roster this past season only behind Berkoff.
SwimSwam: NCAA Qualifier Olivia Nel Transferring To NC State From UNC
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