Courtesy: Florida Athletics
GAINESVILLE, Fla. – University of Florida women’s swimming and diving senior Tori Bindi received recognition as an Outstanding Leader of the Spring 2020 graduating class by the University of Florida Alumni Association.
The honor is given out by the Alumni Association each semester to a small number of graduating seniors for contributions made to their peers and the community of Gainesville over their collegiate careers.
Bindi, a Biochemistry major who boasts a 3.94 grade point average, becomes the first student-athlete since women’s swimmer Summer Stephens in 2015 to receive the award. She also becomes the 12th women’s swimming and diving student-athlete to garner this honor since 1994.
“I’m really honored to be able to represent the University of Florida athletics in a leadership capacity that’s on the stage of the entire university,” Bindi said.
During her four years in Gainesville, Bindi has been an exemplary representative of Florida inside and outside of the pool.
This year, she served as the Student Athlete Advisory Committee President and sits in on the UF Board of Directors’ meetings. Additionally, she is one of two women swim members that meets monthly with Athletic Director Scott Stricklin as members of the Gators Leadership Experience and represented Florida at the SEC Leadership Conference this past June.
“Tori has been an outstanding leader for the women’s swimming and diving program, Gator Athletics and the University of Florida and it has been rewarding to get to know her as a student-athlete as a member of our Athletic Department board,” said Stricklin. “She has truly embraced every opportunity during her four years at Florida and being recognized as one of UF’s Outstanding Senior Leaders is a well-deserved honor.”
In 2018, she received Florida’s Anderson Scholar Award with Highest Distinction honors and has received multiple additional academic awards, including being a 2019 CSCAA First-Team All-American selection, two-time SEC Academic Honor Roll member and a member of the 2017 SEC First-Year Academic Honor Roll.
“As a Division-I student-athlete at the University of Florida, Tori made an enormous impact not only within our swimming and diving program, but throughout the entire UF student-athlete community,” head swimming and diving coach Jeff Poppell said. “She truly embodied the student-athlete that seeks to challenge herself to the fullest, in various endeavors, to gain the absolute most from her overall university experience.”
Bindi capped off her swimming career at the 2020 Southeastern Conference Championships, posting personal-best times in the 100 free, 200 free and 500 free, as well as competing as a member of 800 free relay as Florida captured its second straight runner-up conference finish for the first time since 2011 and 2012.
In 2019, she competed in the NCAA Swimming and Diving Championships as a member of Florida’s 800 free relay that combined for 17th-place finish and the seventh-fastest time in program history.