By Braden Keith on SwimSwam
2016 Olympic Trials qualifier Jamie Kolar will transfer from Illinois to Cincinnati for the 2020-2021 NCAA season. Kolar completed her undergraduate degree at Illinois and will begin working toward a Master of Science in Marketing after completing her undergraduate studies in inderdisciplinary health sciences with a minor in business.
Kolar graduated with highest honors from Illinois.
I am beyond excited to announce my commitment to the University of Cincinnati. I will be attending graduate school as well as using my final year of eligibility in the water. Thank you to my family and coaches at HSC for helping me along this tremendous journey. Thank you to the coaches at Cincinnati for giving me this amazing opportunity as well! I can’t wait to see what this next chapter holds in a new city and a new school!Go Bearcats
The redshirt senior spent 4 seasons at Illinois, but took a medical redshirt during the 2018-2019 season, which leaves her with one remaining season of eligibility. She ranked 3rd among Illinois swimmers last season in the 100 back (55.67) and 2nd in the 200 back (1:59.86). She finished her season at the Illinois Swimming Senior Championships in early March and didn’t race at the Big Ten Championships.
Best Times in Yards:
- 50 free – 24.37
- 100 free – 53.14
- 100 back – 55.25
- 200 back – 1:58.12
Best Times in Meters:
- 100 free – 59.61
- 200 free – 2:08.64
- 50 back – 30.35
- 100 back – 1:03.18
- 200 back – 2:15.85
- 100 fly – 1:06.49
She raced in the 100 backstroke (133rd place) at the 2016 Olympic Trials. After swimming lifetime bests in 6 primary events in long course last summer, she was approaching time standards for the 2020 Olympic Trials as well, including just half-a-second away in the 100 back, before that meet was postponed a year. USA Swimming has not yet announced a plan for how to handle Olympic Trials standards between now and the rescheduled dates.
Kolar’s best time in the 100 back last season would have won the B-Final for Cincinnati at the American Athletic Conference Championship meet, while her best time in the 200 back would have qualified her for the A-final. This is a big pickup for the Bearcats, as backstroke was a deficiency for them last season: their lone scorer in the event at the AAC Championships was freshman Jaclyn Klimczak, who scored 11 total points between the two races.
That group will be much deeper next season. In addition to Kolar, the team has in its class of 2020 Erin Shema (56.3/2:02.5) and Morgan Shinault (56.4/2:00.1), both of whom already have times that would have scored at last year’s AAC Championship.
The Cincinnati women finished 3rd as a team at the AAC Championships, 78.5 points behind runners-up SMU.
Kolar is a native of Lincolnwood, Illinois, where she attended Loyola Academy and trained with the Hinsdale Swim Club. Her younger sister Julie is a rising junior on the swim team at Illinois State.
Read the full story on SwimSwam: Jamie Kolar Will Transfer from Illinois to Cincinnati for Final Season