Tyler Ray, Big Ten Champion, Michigan grad to Practice at Texas

Tyler Ray had an enormous end to his collegiate profession.

The University of Michigan senior swept each Big Ten titles within the butterfly occasions and was named 2026 Big Ten Swimmer of the Meet.

He went on to complete third on the NCAA Championships within the 200 fly (1:38.47).

But Ray wasn’t carried out.

As he continued to enhance, he wished to proceed coaching. But having by no means lived exterior of Michigan earlier than, he wished a brand new outlook from a brand new place.

Ray determined to affix Bob Bowman‘s post-grad coaching group at Texas. He will head to Austin after three weeks coaching on the Olympic Training Center in Colorado.

“I am heading to the Olympic training center for three weeks then traveling down to Austin to join the Texas training group,” Tyler Ray informed Swimming World. “Texas was a possibility that sort of arose out of the blue. I used to be contemplating staying at Michigan and have had a very nice expertise right here. I swam very well and had nice teammates, nevertheless it was one thing I wished to do as a result of I’ve lived in Michigan my entire life. I wished to check out issues in a brand new metropolis with a brand new staff as an expert. Texas looks as if will probably be a great match. It is a coaching group that is likely one of the quickest on the planet. Hopefully that can push me to the place my targets are.

“I am going to try to make a big jump there.”

Part of the rationale for persevering with his profession after graduating from Michigan is unfinished enterprise.

The previous two summers, Ray has handled extreme accidents.

“I haven’t had a great opportunity to show my potential long-course. I had two injuries the past two summers, a shoulder injury then a torn abdominal wall last year and had to get surgery on it,” he mentioned. “I couldn’t do anything but walk for eight weeks.”

Ray recovered to have a stellar senior season at Michigan – and the very best expertise of his profession.

“I had so much fun at every single NCAAs and Big Tens, but this past one, I had the most fun I have ever had at a swim meet with my teammates,” Tyler Ray mentioned. “We were all swimming fast, which helps, but we were just being ourselves and it was awesome.”