Sources: Shaine Casas to Leave Texas A&M; Will Stay In-State With Transfer to Texas
The reigning CSCAA Men’s Swimmer of the Year is on the move. Sources have confirmed to Swimming World that Shaine Casas is departing Texas A&M and plans to transfer to the University of Texas. After winning his first U.S. national titles in the summer of 2019 and then posting incredible swims in late 2020, Casas was the NCAA champion in three events in 2021, the 200-yard IM, 100 backstroke and 200 backstroke, and he went on to finish third in the 100-meter back and sixth in the 200 back at the U.S. Olympic Trials, missing out on making the Olympic team in the 100 back by less than three tenths.
Details about Casas’ pending transfer are still unclear. Swimming World has reached out to Casas as well as officials at both Texas A&M and Texas for more details on the situation and Casas’ plan. The Aggies and the Longhorns have been longtime rivals in the Lone Star State, and even though they no longer compete in revenue sports such as football, they swim each other each season.
Just last year, the Aggies earned their first top-10 finish at the men’s NCAA swimming championships since 2001, and Casas was the first individual men’s swimming national champion the program had ever produced. His departure is a major blow to an Aggie men’s program on the rise for the past several years.
On the flip side, his addition would be a huge gain for a Texas men’s team that won last year’s national championship and will be aiming for a 16th team title under legendary coach Eddie Reese. With Casas, the group would be overwhelming favorites to defend their title. At last season’s NCAAs, Casas missed Ryan Murphy’s American record in the 200 back by just two hundredths with his 1:35.75, and he ranks second all-time in that event. In short course yards, Casas also ranks third all-time in the 200 IM (1:38.95), fourth in the 100 back (43.87) and sixth in the 200 fly (1:38.69).
In combination with a trio of returning Longhorns in breaststroker Casper Corbeau, butterflyer Alvin Jiang and freestyler Daniel Krueger (or Drew Kibler), Texas could be in position for some incredible medley relay performances this upcoming season.
along with the Medley Relays, Casas makes their free relays heavy favorites (400/200) as well
There is no award called NCAA swimmer of the year