#6 Michaela Mattes (2023) Announces Verbal Commitment to Florida

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The University of Florida has kept another home-grown talent in-state. After receiving a verbal commitment from Julia Podkoscielny, the Gators have now secured Michaela Mattes from Sarasota Sharks for their class of 2027.

“I’m so excited to announce that I will further my athletic and academic career at the University of Florida! Thank you to my family, coaches, teammates and friends who supported me through this process! I can’t wait to see what the future holds and to be a part Gator Nation! GO GATORS!!!!🐊🐊🧡💙”

Mattes is a junior at Cardinal Mooney Catholic High School. A USA Swimming Scholastic All-American, she is a three-time Florida High School Class 1A state champion. As a freshman in November 2019, she won the 500 free (4:46.59) and was runner-up in the 200 IM (2:02.74). Last season, she won both events, going 4:47.19 in the 500 free and 2:01.10 (a personal best) in the IM.

Mattes does her club swimming with Sarasota Sharks. She is one of the top distance swimmers in the high school class of 2023, with a 500 free time that would already score at NCAAs. Just after high school season last winter, she won the 200 fly; was runner-up in the 500 free, 1650 free, 200 IM, and 400 IM; and placed third in the 200 free at the 18&U Virtual Winter Championships, clocking PBs in the 200 free and 200 fly. She added a trio of lifetime bests in the 500 free, 200 back, and 400 IM in March at the Florida Swimming LSC Senior Championships South. There, she won the 500 free, 200 fly, and 400 IM and was runner-up in the 200 free, 200 back, and 200 IM.

Best SCY times:

• 500 free – 4:42.98
• 1000 free – 9:46.56
• 1650 free – 16:21.06
• 400 IM – 4:15.39
• 200 free – 1:48.54
• 200 fly – 1:59.20
• 200 IM – 2:01.10

Mattes projects to be a 200/500/1650 freestyler (or a 500/1650 freestyler and 400 IMer) in a group which was led by Leah Braswell and Taylor Ault for the last four years. At 2021 NCAA Championships, no fewer than four Gators (Ault, Tylor Mathieu, Elise Bauer, and Lain Shahboz) swam the 500/1650 free, with Mathieu scoring in the B final of the 500. Mattes will overlap a year with Bauer and Shahboz.

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