Coming off a successful 2012-13 season, the Florida swim team is built for a repeat performance this year.
After winning the men’s Southeastern Conference title for the first time in 20 years and placing sixth at the NCAA Championships in March, Florida lost four swimmers to graduation. Although one is a former Olympian and three were 2013 All-Americans, some of the most dominant swimmers will still compete this season.
The other 26 athletes totaled one national championship, 34 All-American selections and five conference championships while setting four school records last season.
Two-time South African Olympian Sebastien Rousseau, who is coming off four U.S. Open Championships titles this
summer; Brad deBorde, the UF record holder in the 50 Free (19.12); and 2012 Polish Olympian Marcin Cieslak, who placed second in three events at the 2013 NCAA Championships while setting two UF records, all return to the Gators.
The women’s team finished third in the SEC Championships and matched the men’s sixth-place finish at the NCAA
Championships. They graduate four seniors, but two missed the majority of the 2012-13 season.
Three years removed from winning the women’s NCAA championships in 2010, Florida looks to make a title run with two-time U.S. Olympian Elizabeth Beisel entering her senior year.
She notched two NCAA championships, set a new school record in the 200-yard individual medley (1:54.39) and won five All-America honors last season.
She isn't the only threat in the water. Two Olympians, as well as nine 2013 All-Americans who earned 29 All-American selections, will join the Gators.
Florida will have to go through four-time defending conference champion and 2013 national champion Georgia to claim a championship.
Florida has competed against them in each of the past 10 seasons and only won once.
“The SEC is the best conference,” coach Gregg Troy said in a release. “You know you are going to a get a great shot in every chance that you swim them.”
Ed. note: The story originally used an incorrect headline, “UF swimming adds pair of Olympians in pursuit of championship.” The team has not added two Olympians to its roster. Also, the Gators men’s team lost four of their swimmers to graduation, not three. Three, not two, were All-Americans.
Florida sophomore Elizabeth Beisel competes in the women’s 200-yard breaststroke during the Gators’ meet against FAU on Jan. 14, 2012 in the O’Connell Center Natatorium.
