Evan Yoo: From Army to Cal Poly
10/17/2024 5:13:00 PM | Swimming and Diving
Evan Yoo's swimming journey began at a young age, but it wasn't exactly by choice. "I started swimming when I was pretty young, about seven years old," Yoo recalls. "My older brother started swimming, and I kind of got forced into it." Despite initially being pushed into the sport, Yoo stuck with it, training with local clubs and competing in meets throughout his childhood.
By the time he reached high school, Yoo's focus shifted toward more serious competition. "In high school is kind of when I started taking it very seriously, because that's when you got to swim fast if you want to get recruited," he said.
Yoo's hard work paid off. He had a standout high school career, winning CIF championships, advancing to state finals, and impressing recruiters. His success led him to West Point, where he spent two years swimming for Army's Division I team.
"The swimming environment at Army was incredibly competitive," Yoo says. "Everyone was really locked in."
Yoo saw significant improvements in his performance during his time at West Point. "I got a lot better at Army," he says. "My times got way better. College-level training is different, it's a lot more weights and more hours in the water." But even with his improvements, Yoo felt a pull to return home. "I was really homesick," he admits. "I missed home so much, I just wanted to come back."
After two years, Yoo made the decision to transfer. "I wanted to transfer somewhere in California close to home," he says. Yoo considered several schools, including UC San Diego and UC Santa Barbara, but ultimately chose Cal Poly. "I had a friend that went [to Poly], and he convinced me to come," Yoo says. "He got me a house with all the other juniors [on the swim team], so I already had housing set up. It was really nice."
Transitioning to Cal Poly proved smoother than Yoo expected. "I thought it was going to be hard, coming from the Army, just fitting in," he recalls. "But all the guys in my house welcomed me with open arms. I've only been here a month, and I feel like I've known them forever."
The support from his teammates has been crucial in helping him stay motivated. "I literally owe everything to the guys in the house. They wake me up, they keep me motivated to come to practice. I couldn't do it without them."
Yoo has quickly made an impact in his first season at Cal Poly. He was named Big West Swimming and Diving Athlete of the Week for the first week of October and was named King of the Pool at the Mustangs' first meet against Cal. He has taken home two individual wins so far, with his 200 breast time against UCSB becoming the third fastest in school history.
Yoo credits his new coaches for his success, as well. "It's [Kim Foster Carlson's and Traci Granger's] first time being head coaches," Yoo explains. "But I trust them 100%. As long as I'm in the water, putting in work, I know I'm going to get better."
Looking ahead, Yoo has clear goals set for the season. "I want to make the NCAA meet and win a relay with the team," he says. "It would be a huge morale boost for us. I don't think we've won a relay in such a long time, so it would be really cool to be a part of that."
Yoo is excited about pursuing his academic goals at Cal Poly, as well. "I really wanted to study business and get into finance," he said. "At West Point, I majored in economics, but now I'm getting a lot of help with internships and opportunities I didn't have before. I'm excited to explore all the possibilities here."
For Yoo, moving from the Army to Cal Poly is a fresh start with new opportunities in both swimming and school. He is focused on getting better and is grateful for the support he's already found here.
"It's just the beginning of the season," Yoo said. "I've already hit times that I hit at army at the end of the season, which is a really good sign. So I'm just really excited to keep swimming for the team."
Players Mentioned
