Turkish Olympian and European Junior Champion Merve Tuncel plans to enter the NCAA switch portal later this week, she informed SwimSwam. Tuncel spent her freshman season at Louisville.
Tuncel informed SwimSwam through e mail:
“Persevering with my educational and athletic profession on the College of Louisville has been an unbelievable expertise for me. I’ve constructed wonderful friendships and shared unforgettable moments with my teammates. The bond I shaped with them made my time right here really particular, each out and in of the pool.
However I imagine I must make the only option for my educational and athletic profession. I acquired into the switch portal after some issues. As a world scholar, adjusting to this new atmosphere has been tough for me. Getting used to the faculty swimming routine is very difficult for worldwide athletes. Sadly, I didn’t have the chance to get a second probability to see that enchancment in myself, though most swimmers attain their efficiency after their freshman 12 months. This choice was really tough for me, however I need to do what’s finest for my future.
Throughout my time at Louisville, I’ve been fortunate to work with coaches who’re each useful and dedicated. Reed Fujan, who’s our distance coach, has been among the finest coaches I’ve ever had. It has been extraordinarily useful to work with him after a couple of years of psychological and bodily challenges. I had hassle discovering motivation inside myself, particularly within the years following my damage and through my restoration interval. However as we labored collectively, he helped me rediscover how a lot I like swimming. I’m grateful for all of his onerous work and help, and I really feel fairly lucky to have labored with him.
I need to thank all my teammates and coaches for his or her help throughout this course of. I’m excited to see what the longer term holds for me on this journey!”
Tuncel initially dedicated to USC for fall 2023 however after a “downside with admission,” she was in seek for a brand new house. She didn’t arrive at Louisville till fall 2024. She represented Turkey on the 2020(1) Tokyo Olympics, ending eleventh within the 1500 free, twelfth within the 800 free, and nineteenth within the 400 free.
She gained her first European Junior titles in 2021, profitable the 400, 800 and 1500 frees. She defended her titles in 2022, profitable all three occasions as soon as once more. In 2023, she gained the European Junior titles within the 800 and 1500 freestyles. After turning 19 on January 1, 2024, Tuncel completed sixth within the 800 free on the 2024 European Championships. She didn’t symbolize Turkey on the 2024 Paris Olympics.
Arriving this previous fall at Louisville, Tuncel’s season finest instances got here in quite a few twin meets. She swam a 4:52.34 within the 500 free, 9:54.14 within the 1000 free, and 16:43.76 within the 1650 free. She didn’t symbolize Louisville at ACCs, as an alternative competing on the Louisville first and final probability meets. She swam a 4:55.91 within the 500 free and a 16:49.21 within the 1650 free on the first probability meet. She solely swam the five hundred on the final probability meet, touching in a 4:55.80 in prelims.
All of her swims from her freshman season had been properly off of her SCY conversions. Her finest instances in LCM and SCM come from 2020 or 2021.
Time Comparability:
LCM Greatest
SCM Greatest
SCY (Conversion)
100 free
57.63
N/A
50.47
–
200 free
1:59.70
1:58.17
1:44.95
400 free/500y
4:06.25
4:02.47
4:35.91
800 free/1000y
8:21.91
8:17.12
9:22.36
1500 free/1650y
15:55.23
15:45.29
15:36.50
Based mostly on her finest transformed instances, Tuncel is a large decide up at any NCAA program. It took a 1:44.74 within the 200 free, 4:39.47 within the 500 free, and 16:09.37 within the 1650 free to earn an invitation to 2025 NCAAs.
The portal opens for Division I ladies’s swimming and diving this Wednesday and closes on April twenty fifth.
