Florida Gators Pick Up Commitment from Irish Senior National Teamer Molly Mayne (2023)

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Molly Mayne, a Dubai-based swimmer who competes for Ireland internationally, has committed to join the Florida Gators this fall. She is a multi-time short course national champion for Ireland and holds several Irish Junior Records.

Welcome to Gator Nation Molly! 🐊

📝: https://t.co/Gc7OXQw4l0#GoGators pic.twitter.com/s1FHzVT1jd

— Gators Swimming & Diving (@GatorsSwimDv) June 14, 2023

In long course, Mayne posted multiple top 5 finishes at the 2023 Irish Open Championships this past April. Her top placing was in the 100m fly where she earned bronze in a time of 1:02.44. She also finished 4th in the 100 breast (1:10.54) and 5th in the 200 breast (2:37.84).

Last December at the 2022 Irish National Short Course Championships, she won three events, all in personal best fashion. Mayne clocked a 1:06.21 in the 100 breast and a 2:22.97 in the 200 breast and added a third title in the 200 IM (2:11.68). She also hit personal bests in the 100 fly (1:00.05) and in the 100 IM (1:00.04).

Internationally, she has represented Ireland at FINA World Cup stops as well as at the 2021 European Short Course Swimming Championships.

While she has no times in yards, the Hamilton Aquatics swimmer is no stranger to competing in the United States. Mayne swam with an Irish contingent of swimmers at the 2022 U.S. Open, finishing as high as 6th in the 200 breast (2:32.52). She also swam the fly leg (1:01.15) in the 400 medley relay, where the Irish team picked up the victory.

Mayne’s Best Times Converted

Mayne’s commitment could not come at a better time for the Gators. Last year, the team relied on fifth-year transfer Nina Kucheran, and the year before that, distance swimmer Tylor Mathieu swam the breaststroke legs of the 400 medley relay at SECs and NCAAs.

At the 2023 SEC Championships, the Florida women won the title for the first time since 2009.  The aforementioned Kucheran was the lone Gator in the top 24 in the 100 breast, finishing 4th overall (59.12). The Gators only scored two points in the 200 breast, with Olivia Peoples placing 23rd (2:13.55). In the 200 IM, the Gator women fared better, placing one swimmer in the ‘A’ final and three in the ‘B’.

Using Mayne’s fastest converted times and comparing them to the SEC champs, she would have qualified into 9th place in the 100 breast (8th after prelims was 59.55), 6th in the 200 breast (5th was 2:08.64) and in the 20th 200 IM (19th was 1:58.58).

She would also be under the 2023 NCAA cutline in both the 100 and 200 breast events.

While Kucheran will have used up her eligibility, Mayne will not be alone in tackling the breaststroke duties when she arrives on campus. Fellow international commit Melissa Cowen, from New Zealand, comes in with converted breaststroke times of 1:00.1 and 2:09.25. #19 in the recently re-ranked class of 2023 top 20 NCAA swimming recruits, Grace Rainey, will compete with these two for a spot in the medley relays, bringing breaststroke times of 59.71/2:08.69 to the team.

Joining these three in Gainesville are #1 Bella Sims, #12 Michaela Mattes, #16 Julia Podkoscielny, #17JoJo Ramey, HM Lainy Kruger, BOTR Catie Choate, Alex Mitchell, Carly Meeting and Lilly Daley.

Also joining the Gators this fall are 2022 transfer, Caroline Pennington (who had to sit out one year), recent transfer and 2022 U.S. National Teamer, Summer Smith and fifth year transfer and 2022 NCAA runner-up Isabel Ivey.

If you have a commitment to report, please send an email with a photo (landscape, or horizontal, looks best) and a quote to [email protected].

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