ACC, Polish Champion Jan Switkowski Transferring from Virginia Tech to Florida

Polish National Jan Switowski will transfer from Virginia Tech to Florida prior to next season after one year in Blacksburg.

Switowski qualified for the 2014 NCAA Championships as a freshman as a member of the Virginia Tech 400 and 800 free relays after the team’s breakout ACC Championship season. He was also the ACC Champion that year in the 500 free, and scored 75 individual points (24 place scoring) at that championship meet.

However, in the 2014-2015 seasons, which would have been his 2nd in terms of eligibility, he never appeared on Virginia Tech’s roster.

“I chose Florida because it feels like a place where I will find a perfect balance between training and academics,” Switkowski said. I’m looking forward to swimming under this coaching staff as well as being part of the team.”

Switkowski has the kind of versatility that Florida head coach Gregg Troy has frequently valued on his roster.

Best times in yards:

• 50 free – 20.68
• 100 free – 44.56
• 200 free – 1:34.26
• 500 free – 4:18.15
• 200 fly – 1:44.67
• 200 IM – 1:45.95

Note: His improvements in long course since the 2013-2014 season indicate that he’s got NCAA scoring potential in the 200 fly as well.

“We are very excited to have Jan (Switkowski) join the program,” head coach Gregg Troy said. “He swims a lot of different events and is very similar to some of our outstanding athletes from previous years. His versatility, good academics and focus will all be tremendous assets to the program.”

Switkowski is the second ACC event champion that the Hokies have lost to transfer this off-season after Joe Bonk announced he would be moving on to conference rival North Carolina State.

While sitting out the 2014-2015 college season, Switkowski spent most of the year competing in his native Poland following his stint at the 2014 European Championships, where he placed 22nd in the 200 free and 28th in the 100 fly. He was recently crowned the Polish National Champion in long course in both the 200 long course meter free (1:47.66) and the 200 long course meter fly (1:55.23).

The Florida Gators have a history of Polish swimmers on their varsity squad, which includes senior-to-be Pawel Werner and recent team member Marcin Cieslak

The rest of UF’s signing class includes nine other student-athletes, as Troy and his staff tapped the United States coast-to-coast and traveled to Austria, New Zealand and Scotland to collect the best talent, including Brennan Balogh (Lincoln, Neb.),Grady Heath (Green Cove Springs, Fla.), Alexander Lebed (Fort Washington, Pa.),Bayley Main (Auckland, New Zealand), Christoph Margotti (Austria), Ross Palazzo (Hudson, Ohio), Samuel Smith (Knoxville, Tenn.), Jack Szaranek(Glenrothes, Scotland) and Stanley Wu (Concord, Calif.).