Jacksonville, Florida-native Tyler Watson has announced his verbal commitment to swim for the University of Florida in the class of 2023. While the Gator women have earned verbal pledges from current juniors Kathleen Golding and Talia Bates, Watson is the first swimmer to commit to the men’s team for 2019-20.
“I’m so proud to announce my commitment to further my swimming career at the University of Florida. Thank you so much to everyone who has helped me along the way. Go Gators ???”
Watson is a junior at Paxon School For Advanced Studies, where he will graduate in the spring of 2019. This past fall he won the 100 fly (48.73) and was runner-up in the 200 IM (1:50.02) at the 2017 Florida 2A State Championships. He led off the 6th-place 200 medley relay (24.26) and anchored the 9th-place 400 free relay (45.17), too. In club swimming, Watson represents North Florida Swimming and specializes in the longer versions of his high school events. He won the 200 fly and 400 IM at the 2017 Southern Zone Senior Long Course Championships in August, was runner-up in the 100 fly, and took 5th in the 400 free and 200 IM, notching PBs in both flys and both IMs.
His top SCY times include:
- 200 fly – 1:46.80
- 100 fly – 48.73
- 400 IM – 3:53.27
- 200 IM – 1:50.02
- 200 free – 1:39.91
- 100 free – 46.23
If you have a commitment to report, please send an email with a photo (landscape, or horizontal, looks best) and a quote to [email protected].