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Greater Spartanburg YMCA’s Maddex Ternes has committed to join the Georgia men’s program as a part of the 2026 recruiting class.
I am excited and honored to announce my verbal commitment to continue my academic and swimming career at the University of Georgia. Thank you to God, my family, friends, and teammates for supporting me throughout this journey. A huge thank you to my parents and brothers for their endless love and support, and a special thanks to Coach Scott, Dan, Ryan, Brian, Eduardo, Wendy and Chris for guiding me along the way. I’m especially grateful to Coach Neil, Mike, and Nate at UGA for giving me this amazing opportunity. Go Dawgs!!
As a junior at Greer Middle College, Ternes took home a pair of titles in the 500 free and 200 IM. Touching in 4:33.47 and 1:50.37, respectively. Both swims were repeat victories after he claimed the 500 free and 200 IM in his sophomore year.
At the YMCA Short Course National Championships (SCY) this past March, Ternes earned his highest finish in the 100 breaststroke, swimming a new personal best of 54.79. He also turned in a 3rd-place finish in the 400 IM (3:56.02) and a pair of 6th-place finishes in the 200 IM (1:48.44) and 200 breast (2:00.20)—all three swims marked his fastest performances ever.
A year earlier at the same meet, Ternes produced similar results, this time, in a very different set of events. There, he set lifetime bests in the 500 free (4:30.93) and 1650 free (15:41.94), while his time of 9:25.58 in the 1000 free was just off his lifetime best of 9:25.01, set one month earlier at the South Carolina Senior Championships.
Best Times SCY:
- 200 Free: 1:38.61
- 500 Free: 4:30.93
- 1650 Free: 15:41.94
- 100 Breast: 54.79
- 200 Breast: 2:00.20
- 200 IM: 1:48.44
- 400 IM: 3:56.02
The Georgia men finished 4th at the 2025 SEC Swimming and Diving Championships. Based on Ternes’ best times, he would have finished 41st in the 100 breast, 44th in the 500 free, and 33rd in the1650 free.
It is not common to have a recruit that can dabble in the sprint breast/IM, and swim middle distance/distance free. The utilization of Ternes can be flipped around in many different ways, all of which will come to the benefit of the Bulldogs.
He has a proven progression, having dropped nearly 22 seconds in his 500 free in just over two years. He could find himself putting in valuable reps in the distance freestyle and becoming a contributor to the Georgia program.
Georgia’s 2026 recruiting class also includes Isaiah Lewis, Nicholas Kwan, and Sam Lofstrom.
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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I thought Kris Mihaylov was starting Jan 2026?