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High school junior Jonathan Hoole, a sprinter and YMCA relay National Record holder, has verbally committed to the University of Alabama. Hoole is expected to join the Crimson Tide in the fall of 2025.
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Hoole was the Pennsylvania Class 3A (big school) State runner-up last season in the 50 free, finishing in 20.26. He also placed 3rd in the 100 back in 48.35. He swims scholastically for Penncrest High in suburban Philadelphia.
He also placed 6th in the 100 free (44.33) and 200 free (1:38.85) at the 2024 YMCA Short Course National Championships as part of his team’s 3rd-place effort on the boys’ side.
At the 2023 long course championship, Hoole combined with Shane Eckler, Ben Kutufaris, and Jake Kennedy as the Ridley YMCA won the 200 free relay in 1:33.57, setting a new National Record.
Best Times in Yards:
- 50 free – 20.26
- 100 free – 44.33
- 200 free – 1:38.85
- 100 back – 48.35
- 200 back – 1:49.27
- 100 fly – 50.06
Alabama head coach Margo Geer is entering her fourth season at the helm of the Crimson Tide. A former international-level sprinter herself, Geer has been quick to restock the cupboards with women’s sprinters after an exodus of sorts in her first few seasons. The freshman duo of Cadence Vincent and Jada Scott led the way for most of last season in the Alabama sprint group, though Scott wound up missing the spring semester with an injury.
The men’s sprint group, though, has been slower to return. The team had no individual qualifiers for NCAAs in the 50 free (Ethan Otten led the team with a 19.43) and only one who swam the 100 (Kaique Alves finished 30th in 42.17, a best time for him).
They squeezed out six NCAA Championship points in the 400 free relay via a 14th-place finish, but had no other points in the 200 and 400 yard free relays.
While the Crimson Tide are bringing in a very good class of 2024, featuring swimmers like Jarrett Payne (47.6/1:44.4 backstroker) and Cole Witmer (47.3/1:43.4 backstroker); the class is not a sprint-free heavy group. Lleyton Roe has been 20.12/45.09, Adam Varga has been 44.43 but is primarily a 200 freestyler, and Jake Kennedy has been 20.07/44.89, but on paper, Hoole is probably the best of the group in the class of 2024 and 2025 combined so far.
Kennedy is the key name there. Not a state that Alabama has historically recruited heavily, Geer is developing a bit of a pipeline from the western Philadelphia suburbs. Kennedy (2024) also swims for the Ridley Area YMCA, as did rising Alabama sophomore Ben Kutufaris. Those two, along with Hoole, made up 75% of that YMCA National Record-setting relay last summer.
The fourth member of that relay, Shane Eckler, is committed to Notre Dame for the fall.
Hoole has already begun a coaching career: he coaches the Hidden Hollow summer league team.
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MY SWEET GLORIOUS KING J-HOOLE !!
Keith, who told you that Adam Varga is primarily at 200 freestyler. Have you ever seen him train or race. He’s just a young skinny kid that is growing into his frame.
The hooligan ❤️