GAINESVILLE (Dec. 5) – With a third consecutive 50 freestyle state title in Class 3A and a bonus gold medal in the 100 free in 2023, Fleming Island High senior swimmer Maryn McDade has been named …
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GAINESVILLE (Dec. 5) – With a third consecutive 50 freestyle state title in Class 3A and a bonus gold medal in the 100 free in 2023, Fleming Island High senior swimmer Maryn McDade has been named the Class 3A swimmer of the year by Florida Dairy Farmers High School Sports Awards program.
McDade, a recent commit to Florida State University, has been dominant in the 50 free and a top-three finisher in the 100 free for the past three years with her final season getting the 100 free gold.
Junior Kaii Winkler of South Florida HEAT and senior Gracie Weyant of Sarasota Riverview High School have been named the 2023 Florida Dairy Farmers Mr. and Miss Swimming following voting by a statewide panel of prep swim coaches.
In addition, Andrew Eckhart of Sarasota High School and Peter Verhoef of The Bolles School have been named the state boys’ and girls’ swimming coaches of the year.
Winkler, who was named the 2022 Mr. Swimming, and was earlier named the 2023 Class 1A Boys’ Swimmer of the Year, won the 200-yard freestyle in a state record time of 1:32.68, breaking his mark of 1:34.18 set last year. The time also broke the national high school record of 1:32.85 set by Aaron Shackell of Carmel, Ind. last February. Winkler also won the 100-yard butterfly title with an All-American qualifying time of 46.33. He has committed to North Carolina State University.
The other swimmers of the year in each class included Ryan Erisman of Windermere (4A), Logan Robinson of Pensacola Washington (3A), and Brody Singley of West Nassau (2A).
Weyant, who repeated as the Class 4A Girls’ Swimmer-of-the-Year, won her fourth straight state title in the 100-yard breaststroke (1:02.41) and added her third straight 200 Individual Medley title (1:58.64), with both her winning times earning automatic All-America status. She has committed to the University of Florida.
The other class winners included Maryn McDade of Fleming Island (3A), Brooke Beede of the Academy of Holy Names (2A), and Erika Pelaez of South Florida HEAT (Class 1A).
Eckhart won the top boys’ coaching honor by leading his Sarasota squad to its fourth straight Class 4A state title with 289 points.
Verhoef won the top girls’ coaching honor after winning his fifth straight Class 1A title, and the program’s 36th consecutive state championship, with 628 points.