In a surprising turn of events, NCAA All-American and SEC Champion Andrew Taylor has decided to take a break from competitive swimming, citing "personal reasons." This announcement was shared by Arizona State's head coach, Herbie Behm, during an interview with SwimSwam. Taylor made the transition to Arizona State this past fall after spending two seasons on the Florida swimming team.
Coach Behm expressed his admiration for Taylor, stating, "Andrew’s one of the best people I’ve ever met, and we were fortunate to have him at ASU for the time we did." This sentiment reflects the high regard that his coaches and teammates held for him during his time with the program.
During the fall semester, Taylor participated in several events, including the CSCAA Dual Meet Challenge held in November, where he delivered a remarkable performance in the 500 freestyle, clocking a personal best of 4:19.03 against Virginia. Additionally, he showcased his stamina by completing the 1650 freestyle in 15:01.41 during the Tennessee Invite, which coincided with the Dual Meet Challenge weekend.
Before joining Arizona State, Taylor had already made a name for himself by winning the SEC title in the 1650 freestyle as a freshman in 2024, achieving an impressive time of 14:38.41. He went on to secure a third-place finish in the same event at the 2024 NCAA Championships, posting a time of 14:37.80. Unfortunately, he faced challenges with injuries during his sophomore season, which prevented him from qualifying for the NCAA Championships, culminating in a 20th place finish at the SECs with a time of 15:01.05 in the 1650 freestyle.
Up until his departure, Taylor was the leading freestyler for Arizona State in the 1650 event, particularly highlighted by his strong outing at the Tennessee Invite. Currently, Reece Grady holds the top spot among the ASU roster in this event with a time of 15:10.55. To qualify for the 2025 NCAA Championships in the 1650 freestyle, a swimmer would need to achieve a time of at least 14:48.88. Last year, Daniel Matheson was the only competitor representing the Sun Devils in the 1650 freestyle at the 2025 NCAAs, where he finished 10th with a time of 14:35.58. Matheson has since graduated and is now part of the coaching staff at Arizona State.
About Anya Pelshaw
Anya Pelshaw has been contributing to SwimSwam since June 2021, serving as both a writer and social media coordinator. She has covered significant events such as the Women's NCAA Championships from 2022 through 2025, providing live updates and engaging content on social media. Additionally, she attended the 2023 US Summer Nationals and the 2024 European Championships, continuing her passion for swimming journalism.
