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Miami, Florida’s Finn Winkler has announced his verbal commitment to the University of Texas men’s swimming and diving team for the 2023-24 season. He wrote on his Instagram account, which he shares with his younger brother Kaii Winkler (and which seems to have been curated by their parents over the years):
“Gonna give it all I got #committed #texasuniversity #grateful”
The Winkler brothers, who also surf and model, are homeschooled and swim year-round with Eagle Aquatics. Much like the verbal commitments from the Foster brothers five years ago (Jake was in February, Carson in March), Finn’s announcement makes it more likely that Kaii, the #2 recruit in the high school class of 2024, will follow his brother to Austin. This is pure speculation on our part, but we are feeling it’s déjà vu all over again, to quote Yogi Berra.
Finn Winkler specializes mainly in back and free. He is a Summer Juniors qualifier in the 100 back and a Futures qualifier in the 100/200 free, 200 back, 100 fly, and 200 IM. He swam for South Florida Heat at the 2022 FHSAA Class 1A State Championships in November, placing third in the 100 back (50.25) and fifth in the 100 free (46.14), and contributing to the runner-up 200 medley relay (23.34 leadoff backstroke) and runner-up 400 free relay (45.89 leg).
The following month he competed at Winter Juniors West in the 100 back, 200 back, and 200 IM and earned new lifetime bests in all three events. This summer, he wrapped up long course season at Cary Futures, where he finaled in the 100 free (27th) and 100 back (17th) and clocked PBs in the LCM 100 free (52.75), 200 free (1:59.47), 100 back (58.70), and 100 fly (57.50).
Best SCY times:
- 100 back – 49.39
- 200 back – 1:49.42
- 200 IM – 1:51.30
- 100 free – 46.14
Winkler will join the Longhorns’ class of 2027 with #4 Will Modglin, #5 Nate Germonprez, Logan Walker, Will Scholtz, Brayden Taivassalo, George Flanders, and Ian Pickles. The Texas men’s swimming and diving class of 2028, already #1 in the country with #2 Cooper Lucas, #6 Jeremy Kelly, #9 Kyle Peck, #17 Landon D’Ariano, #20 Luke Stibrich, and Max Hatcher, will be stratospheric if they land Winkler’s younger brother Kaii.
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Good Job Finn
Congrats to finn!!!! He deserves this for himself no matter what people think/say. He’s an amazing swimmer, but also an amazing person and I’m so excited to see his journey and the amazing things he’ll accomplish. ❤️
Sometimes great Coaches see and recruit on potential that some of the “experts” here may not be able to see. Sometimes it’s the hardest working kid with strong character that goes all the way, not the fastest at 17. Eddie Reese and Coaching Staff must see someone that brings plenty to the table to take him under their wing. I think we will see him pop off. Everybody loves an underdog.
They may not have met Finn without his headlining uber-fast brother but the convincing he must have done by himself ,because we are talking about the Texas Longhorns here. Good luck and Congratulations Finn!
Texas just wasted half a scholarship to not get kaii
Ouch!
. . .and likely not true. . . .
i knew you would rush to respond to Shaq’s harsh (but likely fair) comment
no rush at all. . . . .
Odds are he got no scholarship, just a roster spot
looks like this is the matthew heilman of texas
Btw – Matt Heilman dropped from a 3:58 to 3:49 IM yesterday…
Congrats to Finn! Welcome to Texas, with or without your brother! Stoked to have you and watch you develop! Just be you, and enjoy all that Austin and UT have to offer!
Sorry Finn, but they made the article about your brother.
ah the texas version of the heilman siblings