In March, Regan Smith made headlines when she entered the NCAA transfer portal, but now it appears that she has withdrawn from it. Athletes in the portal are classified as either “active” or “withdrawn,” and Smith was initially listed as “active” before the change to “withdrawn.” Sources close to the situation have revealed that the NCAA deemed Smith ineligible as a professional athlete.
Smith, who had a standout freshman season at Stanford in 2021-2022, won the NCAA title in the 200 backstroke and placed 2nd in the 200 fly and 3rd in the 100 back. She scored 53 individual NCAA points and helped the team finish in 3rd place. After the season, she turned professional and began training under Bob Bowman at Arizona State University. Bowman later took on the role of Director of Swimming at the Texas Longhorns, where Smith continued to train.
Entering the transfer portal early in the offseason, Smith was marked as “do not contact.” However, now being listed as withdrawn clears up any questions about her eligibility and potential return to NCAA competition. At a recent Pro Swim-San Antonio, Smith showcased her talent by winning three events: 100 back, 200 back and 200 fly. She finished fourth in another event (100 fly). She has her sights set on competing at Paris Olympics after winning silver medal at World Championships last summer.
