Elise Bauer of the Central Florida Marlins has chosen to stay in-state with a verbal commitment to the Florida Gators for 2020. She’s a junior at Forest High School.
I chose Florida because it is an academic and swimming powerhouse. I am grateful for my parents and coaches who helped me get here and am so excited to swim for one of the best schools in the country. I know that Coach Poppell will help me get to the next level of my swimming career.
TOP TIMES
- 200y free – 1:50.36
- 500y free – 4:48.59
- 1000y free – 10:04.31
- 1650y free – 16:34.31
- 400y IM – 4:24.51
This summer, Bauer hit lifetime bests in LCM at the 2018 Speedo Junior National Champs. She was 4:18.25 in the 400 free, 8:45.75 in the 800 free, and 16:49.84 in the 1500 free. She finished 17th in the 400, 5th in the 800, and 6th in the 1500.
Competing for Forest High School, Bauer has finished as the FHSAA 3A state runner-up in the 500 free the last two seasons, and she was 5th in the 200 free this past November. At the 2017 Futures Championships (Tennessee), Bauer won the 400/800/1500 free races.
Bauer would’ve scored with a 19th place finish in the 1650 at the 2018 SEC Championships. The Gators had five women score in that race last year, including runner-up Taylor Ault (16:03.36).
Florida just split its men’s and women’s teams into separate programs, with Jeff Poppell leading the women’s team. A program with rich history, the Gator women finished just 35th last season at NCAAs, though it was an improvement from their 2017 NCAA showing, where they scored zero points. The Gator women are rebounding, however, with 12 freshmen on their 2018-19 roster and at least six women incoming for next fall, including four Florida swimmers and #13 in the class, Talia Bates.
Bauer joins Amanda Ray, Kenady Beil and Madison Kolessar in Florida’s class of 2024.
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].
Sure to be another Gator Great! Classy young lady with parents who “get it”. Another ringer from Coach Bill Vargo in Ocala!!!