Arizona junior-to-be Taylor Garcia announced that she would transfer to Michigan. Garcia announced her decision on Facebook and Instagram.
“In March, after NCAA’s, I had to make a very difficult decision to leave the University of Arizona. It has been an arduous journey to say the least. However, I have much to be thankful for. I am so thankful for the great friends I have made in AZ. I know they will be my sisters for a lifetime, and their support is what has gotten me through this process.
“I am also grateful for all that I have learned about myself and others during this time. My parents have been my rock for my whole life, encouraging me to follow my dreams. The amount of love and support they have shown me as I struggled out here is unimaginable and simply cannot be matched. I truly have the BEST support system. Thank you for everything Shawnda Garcia and Chevy Garcia.
“It is with MUCH excitement and gratitude that I announce that I will be transferring to the University of Michigan. The academic and athletic support offered to their athletes is something I have been direly looking for, and I cannot wait to be a part of the team. I’ve always been a B1G DreaMuh.
“It’s time to go home and Go Blue!”
Garcia, a native of Holland, Mich., will move back to her home state where she joins a Michigan squad that has won two straight Big Ten titles.
Garcia’s decision comes just one day after Arizona head coach Rick DeMont announced his retirement.
Garcia led off Arizona’s sixth place 200 medley relay team at the recent NCAA Championships. Garcia was a couple tenths faster than Clara Smiddy last year in the 50 backstroke, and was a 51.87 in the 100 backstroke, which would have won the Big Ten title last season. Garcia also anchored Arizona’s fifth place 200 free relay team at NCAA’s with a 21.68 relay split, which would have been the fastest split on Michigan’s fastest 200 free relay from last year. Garcia was 47th at NCAA’s in the 50 free (22.68) and 22nd in the 100 back (52.21).
Garcia will join an already stacked Michigan team that finished 11th at NCAA’s. The Wolverines will see the arrival of All-American breaststroker Miranda Tucker in the fall of 2017 after she announced she would transfer out of Indiana last summer. Tucker sat out the 2016-2017 season.