NEW COMMITS: The University of Florida has received a pair of verbal commitments for the 2020-21 season and beyond from Leah Degeorge and Cecilia Porter.
Degeorge, a distance freestyler, and Porter, a breaststroker, will both add valuable depth to their respective training groups when they arrive in Gainesville as members of the Gators’ class of 2024. Florida was the team runner-up at the SEC Championships this past season before placing 24th at NCAAs.
Leah Degeorge
Photo Courtesy: Leah Degeorge
A native of Jacksonville, Fla., Degeorge is primarily a distance freestyler who owns a trio of Summer Juniors standards while training with the Bolles School Sharks. At the Florida Spring Championships in March, she won the mile and was the 1000 free runner-up after racing three events at Juniors East in December. Last summer, she earned silver in the 800m free at Gainesville Sectionals before placing 13th in the 1500m free at Junior Nationals.
Also competing for Bolles School, Degeorge is a six-time Florida 1A State Championship finalist. She won the 500 free and finished fifth in the 200 free as a junior after placing third and sixth, respectively, in those events during her sophomore season. She has also earned USA Swimming Scholastic All-American honors for her efforts.
She told Swimming World:
“The University of Florida stood out to me because of the welcoming team and coaches. I’m so excited to attend UF in the fall of 2020 due to all the opportunities in both athletics and academics! I am also grateful to all my coaches, teammates and family who helped me on the way to becoming a gator.”
Her best times include:
- 200 free – 1:51.29
- 500 free – 4:49.78
- 1000 free – 10:06.75
- 1650 free – 16:47.04
Cecilia Porter
Photo Courtesy: Cecilia Porter
A talented breaststroker, Porter swims year-round with Baylor Swim Club and owns two Summer Nationals cuts. She earned silver in the 50 breast and bronze in the 100 breast at NCSAs in March after recording a best time in the 200m breast at TYR Pro Swim Series – Knoxville last winter. She won the 100m breast at Southeastern LCM Championships last summer before placing second in that event at Cary Futures.
While representing Signal Mountain High School, Porter is a four-time TISCA State Championship finalist. She raced to second in the 100 breast as a junior after placing seventh in that race as well as 11th in the 50 free during her sophomore campaign.
She told Swimming World:
“I am extremely excited to announce my verbal commitment to continue my academic and athletic career at the University of Florida, as a member of the class of 2024! I am very grateful for all of my coaches and teammates at the Baylor Swim Club for helping me get to this point. Go Gators!”
Her best times include:
- 50 breast – 27.66
- 100 breast – 1:00.58
- 200 breast – 2:13.36
- 200 IM – 2:04.49
If you have a commitment to share, please send a photo and quote via email to hs@swimmingworld.com.
Shawn Cowper Daniels