Florida Inks 15 Recruits

GAINESVILLE, Florida, November 18. THE University of Florida men's and women's swimming and diving program inked 15 (10 men, five women) student-athletes to National Letters of Intent to swim for the Gators beginning in 2011-12, head coach Gregg Troy announced Wednesday afternoon.

"The most exciting thing about this class is that they're all class-act people," Troy said. "They're all very much team players. They're all state champions that are used to putting their hand on the wall first. You have men and women that are used to winning and have high expectations. It speaks well for the future of the program here at the University of Florida."

The Gators went coast-to-coast to fill out their recruiting class, gaining signatures from high school All-Americans from states such as Illinois, Kentucky, Oregon and Virginia. The Orange and Blue signed one Swimming World Magazine six-star recruit, five five-star recruits, two four-star recruits and a pair of three-star recruits.

"On top of the athletes that have already signed, we're expecting a few more talented swimmers to sign with us shortly," Troy continued. "Another one of the exciting things is that all of these swimmers come from coaches who have done just a tremendous job developing them. They all have a great background with a lot of great coaching expertise behind them that will make it easier for us to get started with (coaching them)."

FLORIDA MEN'S & WOMEN'S SWIMMING AND DIVING 2010 SIGNING CLASS
MEN HOMETOWN
Nicholas Caldwell Sarasota, Fla.
Matthew Curby Oviedo, Fla.
Harrison Curley Winter Park, Fla.
Matt Elliott Peoria, Ill.
Colin Hamilton Jacksonville, Fla.
Ricky Munch Fairfax, Va.
Carlos Omana Miami, Fla.
Austin Ringquist Hillsboro, Ore.
Billy Silva Gainesville, Fla.
Matthew Thompson Seminole, Fla.
WOMEN HOMETOWN
Natasha Fung Edmonton, Canada
Lauren Neidigh Orange Park, Fla.
Rebecca Rainer Richmond, Va.
Jordan Smith Longwood, Fla.
Summer Stephens Louisville, Ky.

Florida Men's Swimming & Diving 2010 Signing Class

"I couldn't be any more excited about the class," Troy said. "We have really good, solid guys. They cover all of our weaknesses and are really quality people on top of everything else. It was really exceptional to get all of these talented athletes from the state of Florida. We couldn't be more excited. Those Florida guys alone would have been a great recruiting class, not to mention (Matthew) Elliot and (Ricky) Munch. Together, they are one of the most versatile recruiting classes in the history of this program. This class really sets us up for the future in terms of having the nucleus to do really well."

Nicholas Caldwell (Sarasota, Fla.), Riverview High School
Senior at Riverview High School… Trains at Sarasota YMCA under head coach Steve Brown… Rated the No. 2 men's swimming recruit in the country by CollegeSwimming.com… A member of the USA Junior National Team and 2010 Junior Pan-Pacific Team… Named a 2010 NISCA/Speedo Swimming and Diving All-American… The 2010 Long Course Junior National High Point Award winner… Named to the 2010 Pinch-A-Penny All-State Team after winning state titles in the 200 IM and 500 free… Broke the national junior record with a 3:52.32 finish in the 400 free during the prelims of the 2010 U.S. Junior Nationals in Irvine, Calif…Won the 400 and 800 free, and 400 IM, while placing second in the 200 free and third in the 1,500 free… Captured the gold medal in the 400 free at the 2010 Pan-Pacific Junior Championship in Maui, Hawaii, while also finishing third in both the 200 and 800 free, being named the Male Performer of the Meet for his efforts… Six-time FHSAA state champion… 2008 Olympic Trials participant… Three-time USA Swimming Scholastic All-American… FHSAA state record holder in the 500 free, as well as a five-time national age group record holder… Has swum since he was eight years old… Chose Florida over Texas, Stanford, North Carolina and Georgia.

Coach Troy on Caldwell:
"Nicholas Caldwell is one of the best middle-distance freestylers and individual medley swimmers in the country. He just missed the oldest high school national record last week in Orlando (Fla.) at the high school state meet after winning multiple state titles."

Matthew Curby (Oviedo, Fla.), Hagerty High School
Senior at Hagerty High School… Trains with the Blue Dolphins Swim Team under head coach Charlie Rose… A four-star recruit by Swimming World Magazine… A two-time high school All-American and two-time USA Swimming Scholastic All-American… Attended the USA Swimming National Select Camp his junior season… Won Hagerty High School's first Class 3A state championship as a sophomore in the 100 back.

Coach Troy on Curby:
"Matt is from Hagerty High School in Oviedo and is a state champion in the 200 IM and 100 backstroke. He has good speed and is a real versatile athlete. He's one of the best medley swimmers to come out of Florida in awhile. We're real excited about picking him up."

Harrison Curley (Winter Park, Fla.), Winter Park High School
Senior at Winter Park High School where he is a captain of the varsity swim team… Trains with Highlander Aquatics under head coach Mike Curley… A three-star recruit by Swimming World Magazine… Named the 2009 Orange County Swimmer of the Year and 2009 Bright Sports Athlete of the Year… Captured the Class 3A state championship as a junior in the 100 back and 200 medley relay… Chose Florida over North Carolina, Penn State, Ohio State, Notre Dame and Northwestern.

Coach Troy on Curley:
"Harrison can swim everything: the backstroke, individual medley, butterfly or freestyle. He was a runner-up to (Matthew) Curby in the 100 back so we've got two great swimmers at the backstroke."

Matt Elliott (Peoria, Ill.), Richwoods High School
Senior at Richwoods High School… Trains with the Peoria Area Water Wizards under head coach Ivan Kirov… A five-star recruit by Swimming World Magazine… Rated the No. 14 men's swimming recruit in the country by CollegeSwimming.com… A member of the USA Junior National Team for the last three years… A four-time senior junior national champion… Holds the national age-group record from 13-16 in the 200 breast… Captured one gold medal and two silver medals at the 2010 Junior Pan-Pacific Championships… Placed 14th in the finals of the 200 breast at 2009 U.S. Nationals, the second-fastest time in American history by anyone under age 17… Competed at FINA-Arena World Cup meets in Berlin and Stockholm in 2009… The first-ever three-time Illinois Swimming Male Swimmer of the Year… Owns five individual state championships and 15 state records… Won a gold medal in the 200 IM and a silver in the 100 breast his sophomore year… Qualified for the 2008 Olympic Trials entering his sophomore year… The first freshman in Illinois state swimming history to take home gold medals in two events (100 breast and 200 IM) at the state swimming meet… Chose Florida over North Carolina, Indiana and Texas.

Coach Troy on Elliott:
"Matt may be the best high-school breaststroker in the country. He is on the U.S. National Junior Team and has some international experience. He's going to make a real big impact here in Gainesville. A lot of people feel he's just a breaststroker, but we feel like he has some great individual medley capabilities as well. We're real excited to cover that breaststroke need for us."

Colin Hamilton (Jacksonville, Fla.), The Bolles School
Senior at The Bolles School under head coach Sergio Lopez… An eight-time NISCA All-American… A two-time USA Swimming Scholastic All-American… Finished 15th in the 200 free, 21st in the 200 back, 34th in the 100 fly and 52nd in the 50 free at the 2010 U.S. Junior Nationals in Irvine, Calif… Helped The Bolles School win a team state championship all four years of high school, increasing their state record to 23 consecutive team state championships… Member of The Bolles' 2010 Swimming World Magazine Boys National Championship Team… Won the Class 1A state championship in the 100 and 200 free his senior year after winning silver in the 100 back his junior year… Part of The Bolles School squad that won the 2009-10 national championship, awarded by the National Interscholastic Swimming Coaches Association… Member of the Florida 1A state-record 200 free relay squad… Named to the 2008 and 2009 All-First Coast Team… Swam on the same high school team as incoming freshman Lauren Neidigh.

Coach Troy on Hamilton:
"Colin Hamilton swims at The Bolles School and is a big, tall 6-foot-5 guy. They swam him in the sprints, but he's also great at the backstroke. He's a real team player. It's always great to get a swimmer out of Bolles, especially since I spent a lot of years there myself."

Ricky Munch (Fairfax, Va.), Robinson Secondary School
Senior at Robinson Secondary School, where he is captain of the varsity swim team… Trains under Machine Aquatics under head coach Daniel Jacobs… A three-star recruit by Swimming World Magazine… A three-time NISCA High School All-American… Senior national qualifier in the 100 breast… Member of the Robinson Secondary School state championship teams in 2008-09 and 2009-10… 2010 Washington Post Honorable Mention… VHSA state finalist in 2009-10 and 2010-11…

Coach Troy on Hamilton:
"He's very tall and a little bit of a sleeper. He's a breaststroker from the Baltimore/Washington D.C. area. He is very big. He was injured a lot last year, but we feel like he has the potential to really fill in and contribute at the collegiate level as a breaststroker."

Carlos Omana (Miami, Fla.), Belen Jesuit Prep School
Senior at Belen Jesuit Prep School… Trains with Metro Aquatic Club of Miami under head coach Kirk Peppas… A five-star recruit by Swimming World Magazine… Rated the No. 15 men's swimming recruit in the country by CollegeSwimming.com… A 2012 Olympic Trials and 2009 World Championship Trials qualifier… Competed at the 2010 U.S. Junior Nationals in Irvine, Calif., winning silver in the 800 free, 1,500 free and 400 IM, while finishing ninth in the 200 IM… Ranked No. 54 in the world in the 400 IM and No. 87 in the 1,500 free… Florida Gold Coast record holder in the 1,000 free… Six-time Southern Zone champion… Three-time individual state champion…Led Belen Jesuit to five consecutive state championships after joining the varsity team as an eighth grader… Won the state championship in the 200 IM, 500 free and 400 free relay his junior season… Chose Florida over Auburn and Ohio State.

Coach Troy on Omana:
"Carlos is very much like (Nicholas) Caldwell. He's a middle-distance freestyler than can also swim some individual medley or breaststroke. Those two guys together are probably the two best swimmers out of Florida in a long time. We're really excited about them. He's a really good-looking all-around athlete and great-looking kid."

Austin Ringquist (Hillsboro, Ore.), Hillsboro High School
A senior at Hilssboro High School… Trains with Hillsboro HEAT Swim Team under head coach James Resare… A five-star recruit by Swimming World Magazine… Qualified for the 2012 Olympic Trials in the 200 IM and 200 back… Finished seventh in the 200 back at the inaugural 2010 Youth Olympic Games in Singapore… Competed at the 2010 U.S. Junior Nationals in Irvine, Calif… Swam against the nation's best at the 2010 Missouri Grand Prix, taking 16th in the 200 IM and winning the consolation final in the 200 back… Finished in the top 20 in the 200 back at the 2009 U.S. Open… Placed 12th in the 200 back at the 2009 U.S. Long Course Junior Nationals…Recorded a top-10 finish in the 200 back at the 2009 U.S. Short Course Junior Nationals… Won the 200 back at the 2009 Northwest Senior Sectionals… Earned High School All-America honors in 2007-08 and 2008-09… Won the Class 5A state championship by setting a state record in the 200 IM, while anchoring two state championship relay teams… A two-time USA Swimming Scholastic All-American… Owned the fastest time in the 13-14 age group in the country in the 200 back… Chose Florida over Michigan, Texas, Arizona and California.

Coach Troy on Ringquist:
"He's real big. He's a national youth team member. He's another real versatile guy who swims the butterfly, IM and backstroke. He adds even more versatility."

Billy Silva (Gainesville, Fla.), P.K. Yonge High School
Senior at P.K. Yonge High School… Trains with the Gator Swim Club under head coach Chris Oliver… A five-star recruit by Swimming World Magazine… Qualified for the 2012 Olympic Trials in the 1,500 free… One of the nation's top distance swimmers… High school swim team was created as a result of Silva's potential… Named a NISCA High School All-American… Captured a silver medal in the 500 free at the 2010 state meet… Chose Florida over Penn State.

Coach Troy on Silva:
"We feel like Billy might be the best pure-distance freestyler in the group. He's going to go out and swim the mile and be a fantastic long-distance swimmer for us. You feel confident any time you can sign a swimmer from the Gainesville area because of the quality of high-school programs and coaches around this area."

Matthew Thompson (Seminole, Fla.), Seminole High School
Senior at Seminole High School… Trains with West Florida Lightning Aquatics under head coach Cashel Mack… A four-time NISCA High School All-American… Qualified for five events at the 2010 U.S. Junior Nationals in Irvine, Calif… Placed 15th in the 500 free at the 2009 Short Course U.S. Junior Nationals… Captured a silver medal in the 200 IM and a bronze medal in the 500 free at the 2009 state championships as a junior… Owns the Seminole High record in the 200 IM and 500 free… Florida swimming age group record holder in the 200 and 400-meter free… Two-time team MVP (2009 & 2010) for Seminole High… Named MVP of his club team… Qualified for the 1A state meet as an eighth grader.

Coach Troy on Thompson:
"He was runner-up in the 200 IM at the Class 4A state meet. He can swim the medley and long-distance freestyles. He's a real good butterfly swimmer."

Florida Women's Swimming & Diving 2010 Signing Class

"All of these girls are talented and really good students," Troy said. "Not only are we excited about the phenomenal athletic talent of the group, we're also thrilled with the character of the class. They're good students and all come highly recommended."

Natasha Fung (Edmonton, Canada), Bellerose Composite High School
Senior at Bellerose Composite High School in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada… Trains with Olympian Swim Club under head coach Carl Simonson… A five-star recruit by Swimming World Magazine… Rated the No. 19 women's swimming recruit in the country by CollegeSwimming.com… Swam at the 2010 Pan-Pacific Junior Championship in Maui, Hawaii, placing 13th in the 200 IM, 15th in the 400 free, 24th in the 200 free and 25th in the 100 free… Owns the Canadian age group record in the women's 13-14 200 IM.

Coach Troy on Fung:
"Natasha is a very accomplished member of the Canadian National Team. She swims all the freestyles and is going to help us a lot. She's also a medley swimmer so she swims all four strokes. She's one of the best athletes out of Canada. She's going to help us in a lot of relays and a lot of places."

Lauren Neidigh (Orange Park, Fla.), The Bolles School
Senior captain of varsity swim team at The Bolles School under head coach Sergio Lopez… Qualified for the 2012 Olympic Trials in the 400 IM… Competed at the 2010 U.S. Junior Nationals in Irvine, Calif., taking 17th in the 200 fly, 22nd in the 400 IM and 31st in the 400 free… Places 15th in the 200 fly at the 2009 the Mare Nostrum International Meet in Barcelona, Spain… A finalist at the 2008 and 2009 Missouri Grand Prix in the 200 fly and 400 IM… Achieved All-American status at the 2010 state meet, winning a gold medal as a part of the 200 free relay squad, along with capturing silver medals in the 200 IM and 500 free at the 2010 state championships… Helped The Bolles School win a team state championship the last three years, increasing their state record to 20 consecutive team state championships… Part of The Bolles School squad that won the 2009-10 national championship, awarded by the National Interscholastic Swimming Coaches Association…Won a silver medal in the 200 IM at the 2009 state championships… Swam on the same high school team as incoming freshman Colin Hamilton.

Coach Troy on Neidigh:
"Lauren is from Jacksonville (Fla.) and swims at Bolles. She was a 1A state champion. She gets better in the longer individual medley's and long-distance freestyles, as well as the 200 butterfly. She's going to fill some areas where we're a little slim in terms of depth."

Rebecca Rainer (Richmond, Va.), Deep Run High School
Senior at Deep Run high School…Trains with NOVA of Virginia under head coach Geoff Brown… One of only five six-star recruits by Swimming World Magazine… Rated the No. 7 women's swimming recruit in the country by CollegeSwimming.com… A member of the USA Junior National Team… Qualified for the 2012 Olympic Trials in the 100 and 200 breast and 400 IM… The 2010 short-course yard NCSA junior national champion in the 100 and 200 breast and 400 IM… The only 14 year old to qualify for the 2008 Olympic Trials, qualifying in the 400 IM… Three-time Virginia State Female Swimmer of the Year… Broke a total of 35 Virginia-state records entering her senior season… Chosen to attend the 2008 National Select Camp… Selected to the 2007 Eastern Zones Select Camp… Chose Florida over Texas, Georgia, Arizona, Virginia and Tennessee.

Coach Troy on Rainer:
"She was one of the, if not the fastest high-school breaststroker in the country last year. She's a very versatile breaststroker. She swims the 400 IM and can swim the 200 fly or some freestyle relays. She's from a great club in Richmond (Va.). We've had some other athletes from there (Richmond area) and they've always done well. We're really excited about her."

Jordan Smith (Longwood, Fla.), Lake Brantley High School
Senior at Lake Brantley High School, where she is captain of the varsity swim team… Trains with Patriot Aquatics under head coach Clay Parnell… Named a NISCA High School All-American… A Florida Zone Team member.

Coach Troy on Smith:
"Jordan Smith is from Lake Brantley High School. She's a very good all-around swimmer who can swim the butterfly or medley."

Summer Stephens – (Louisville, Ky.), Sacred Heart Academy
Senior at Sacred Heart Academy… A captain for the Lakeside Swim Team under head coach Mike DeBoor… A four-star recruit by Swimming World Magazine… A 2009 World Championship Trials qualifier… Eight-time NISCA High School All-American… A USA Swimming Scholastic All-American… Named First-Team All-State each of the last three years… A Kentucky state record holder in the 200 and 400 medley relay as well as the 200 free relay… Chose Florida over Auburn, Virginia, California-Berkeley, Southern California and Harvard.

Coach Troy on Stephens:
"Summer is a very versatile medley swimmer who can swim the butterfly from Louisville (Ky.). She comes from the same program as 2008 Olympic medalist and former Gator NCAA champion Caroline Burckle. He club coach has always done a fantastic job. She's going to add a lot of depth in the butterfly as well as the individual medley."

The above article is a press release submitted to Swimming World Magazine. It has been posted in its entirety without editing. Swimming World offers all outlets the chance to reach our audience by contacting us at Newsmaster@swimmingworldmagazine.com. However, Swimming World reserves the right to choose what material is posted.

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