Providence, Rhode Island — In an exciting development for collegiate swimming, NCAA Division III record holder Natalie Garre has decided to transfer to Brown University for the upcoming 2025-2026 season. Garre, who had an impressive freshman year at Bowdoin College, made significant improvements in her performance over the year, showcasing her talent in distance events.
During her freshman season, Garre made remarkable strides, particularly in the 500 freestyle and the 400 individual medley (IM). She dropped a stunning 28 seconds in the 500 free and 29 seconds in the 400 IM, finishing with times of 4:44.90 and 4:16.59, respectively. Her most notable achievement came when she set a new Division III record in the 1650 freestyle, clocking in at an impressive 16:17.84.
In addition to her record-breaking performance, Garre also secured a Division III title in the 500 freestyle and was the runner-up in the 400 IM at the NCAA Championships. Her strong showing at the NCAAs followed a successful time at the NESCAC Championships, where her previous times were significantly slower at 4:47.63 for the 500 free, 16:35.38 for the 1650 free, and 4:21.03 for the 400 IM.
At Brown, Garre is expected to make a huge impact, especially given her recent times. Based on her best times, she would have ranked highly at the Ivy League Championships, with her 1650 free placing her 4th, the 500 free 3rd, and the 400 IM 6th. Garre’s potential for qualifying for future NCAA Championships also looks bright; it took times of 4:39.47 in the 500 free and 16:09.37 in the 1650 free to receive an invite this past season, and she aims to continue her progression.
Garre’s transfer to Brown is seen as a logical step, as she previously expressed interest in swimming for the school. Although Brown is not much different academically from Bowdoin, it offers NCAA Division I competition, which is a bigger platform for her skills. As an up-and-coming swimmer, Garre aims to challenge herself further at a larger university.
This season, the Brown women placed 4th out of 7 teams at the Ivy League Championships, with Crystal Yuen leading the team with her own strong finishes. The addition of Garre is expected to bolster the squad’s performance significantly in the upcoming seasons.
