Olivia Nel

Position:
Free, Back
Height:
6-0
Class:
Sophomore
Hometown:
Constantia, South Africa
High School:
Herschel Girls

Career Best Times
50 Free — 21.92 • 100 Free — 48.42 • 100 Back — 52.19

AS A SOPHOMORE (2022-23)
Earned second-team All-America honors as part of the 200 and 400 freestyle relay teams • NCAA Championship participant, posting her career-best time in the 100 backstroke • Competed in the sprint freestyle events at the ACC Championship meet • Participated in all six dual meets and the Tennessee Invitational • Finished first in the 50 freestyle and second in the 100 freestyle in the meet with South Carolina • Named to the All-ACC Academic Team.

AS A FRESHMAN (2021-22)
Earned second team All-America honors in the 200 freestyle relay • Competed at the NCAA Championships as a member of the Tar Heels' 200 and 400 freestyle relay teams • Competed in dual meets against Virginia, Duke and Texas • Finished second in the 50 freestyle at Virginia and third in the same events against Texas • Named to the CSCAA Scholar All-America Team and ACC Academic Honor Roll.

PREP/CLUB
Attended Herschel Girls School (Cape Town, South Africa) • Swam at Swimlab Aquatic Academy (2011-21) • Chosen for the South African junior and senior national squads (2016-21) • Represented South Africa at the 2018 Africa Championships in Egypt and the 2017 FINA Junior World Championships in Indianapolis • Selected to the 2020 South Africa FINA Junior World Championship team but was unable to compete due to injury • South Africa Sportswoman of the Year nominee (2019-2021).

PERSONAL
Daughter of Annette and Jeremy Nel • Birthday is July 23 • Her twin sister, Georgia, is also a member of the UNC swimming and diving team • Mother was a swimmer at the University of Texas (1984-88) as well as part of the South Africa National Team • Received multiple academic and extracurricular awards from the Herschel Girls School.