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Bobby DiNunzio has announced a change of plans for his collegiate swimming career. Originally committed to the University of Virginia, the Virginia Beach, Virginia native has now made a verbal pledge to the University of Florida.
“I am very excited and honored to announce my verbal commitment to swim and study at the University of Florida! I am extremely thankful for the support from my family, coaches, and teammates who helped me earn this opportunity. Go Gators!🐊”
DiNunzio is a senior at Ocean Lakes High School. As a sophomore, he won the 200 IM (1:52.39) and 500 free (4:31.34) at the 2021 VHSL 6A State Championships. Last year, he won the 500 free again (4:24.65) and was runner-up in the 200 free (1:39.60). We’ve got him as a “Best of the Rest” distance freestyler on our list of top high school boys recruits from the class of 2023.
DiNunzio trains year-round with Tide Swimming. He had an outstanding summer, finishing third in both the 800 free (8:09.34) and 1500 free (15:37.79) at Speedo Junior Nationals before going on to represent Team USA at Junior Pan Pacific Swimming Championships. There, he placed 5th in the 800 (8:06.90), 9th in the 1500 (15:31.72), 11th in the 400 free (3:55.72), and 13th in the 400 IM (4:33.32).
In the year since we first reported his verbal to UVA, DiNunzio has made significant improvements in his best SCY events.
| October 2021 | October 2022 | |
| 1650 free | 15:23.09 | 15:06.71 |
| 1000 free | 9:18.31 | 9:06.16 |
| 500 free | 4:27.86 | 4:24.17 |
| 200 free | 1:41.43 | 1:39.12 |
| 400 IM | 4:00.49 | 3:59.28 |
Florida has become a mecca for distance swimmers, drawn in no small part to head coach Anthony Nesty. With Jake Mitchell, Kieran Smith, Bobby Finke, Trey Freeman, Bella Sims, and Katie Ledecky all in Gainesville, DiNunzio will have the ultimate training group. At the men’s NCAA Championships last March, American record-holder Finke (1st), Alfonso Mestre (10th), Tyler Watson (12th), Oskar Lindholm (14th), and Freeman (15th) all scored in the mile, adding 37 points to the Gators’ total in that one event alone. Smith, Mestre, Finke, and Freeman also scored in the 500 free.
DiNunzio will join the Gators’ class of 2027 with #1 Scotty Buff, #10 Jonny Marshall, #16 Caleb Maldari, #20 Andrew Taylor, Josh Parent, Aleksas Savickas, and Evan Keogh. This is shaping up to be one of the strongest and deepest recruiting classes for the fall of 2023.
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He chasing emma weyant
And, let’s not forget Weyant, Pennington, Mathieu, Miller, Bauer, Zavaros, and Auld… Its a pretty insane distance group!
I’ll say what nobody else is willing to say….Fenwick hasn’t done squat with UVA’s distance group.
Paige Madden?
That’s all blaire bachman
Honestly more credit to Blair than Tyler
Maddie Donahoe had a great year last year
again.. drum roll please… Blair Bachman.
The great tentacles of the Kraken will arise from the blackwater to swallow the Alligator whole.
Marked for destruction by the black ink of the cephalopod.
BALABITO
University of Freestyle continues to University of Freestyle
At what point are you obligated to a school such that you have to take a gap year if you want to change your commitment?
Once you sign your National Letter of Intent. 2023s can’t do that until at least November 1.
Likely will see more examples of flips now that kids are pledging to be committed to colleges before their junior year. It’s important to go to a place that is a fit & you are most excited about + that decision can change for many from junior to senior year.
Not one swimmer in the class of 2024 announced their commitments before the start of their junior year AFAIK. A few divers, but not one swimmer.
Swimming recruiting isn’t getting earlier and earlier at the moment. It’s flat-lined, and if anything, slowed down a hair.
I haven’t really noticed a substantial increase in changed commitments in the last few years. That’s purely anecdotal, as we don’t really keep a ledger of changes (they go in our databases with wherever is the most recent school they committed to).
Only after you sign an NLI. Signing period for 2023 doesn’t open until November though.
I believe that’s once you *sign* your NIL (National Letter of Intent). Everything done before that is truly a non-binding verbal commitment. There are kids committing in Sept. of junior year who haven’t even turned 16 yet. So these “de-commits” are inevitable. If a school gets a rep for pulling scholarship money that’s promised, nobody would ever trust them again. For the kids – they can change their mind more easily.
BOOOM! THE HOOS GOT ANOTHER ONE!! THE DESORBO EFFECT!!!
Hoo downvoters in shambles rn😂