Merry Xmas, Gators: HS Junior Trey Freeman Sends Early Verbal to UF

Just like our high school class of 2016 #1 recruit Maxime Rooney did in early 2015, Trey Freeman of The Baylor School and Baylor Swim Club in TN has committed to swim at the University of Florida as a high school junior. Rooney committed before our 2016 recruiting rankings came out, but he went on to earn our #1 ranking a good five months after he verballed to Gregg Troy’s squad. Freeman is one of the first male commits to the NCAA class of 2022.

Also like Rooney, Freeman is months ahead of schedule– Rooney committed in February of his junior year, and that was considered early last year. Freeman, along with Drew Kibler and Reece Whitley, is one of the few blue chip recruits of the HS class of 2018. He led off USA’s 2nd place 800 free relay and finished 2nd in the 400 free at the Jr Pan Pacific Champs this summer, and his strong summer has snowballed into an even more impressive fall/winter season thus far in 2016.

An incredibly rangy freestyler, Freeman’s sweet spot is at the 500 free, though his 200 and 1650 are excellent as well. He’s also a very strong 400 IM’er– all events that Florida traditionally excels at under Troy’s tutelage. He broke the 200 free national HS record in SCM last month, and then had a very impressive showing at Winter Juniors – East (though he was a bit outshadowed by Kibler and Jack Walker at the meet). At the meet, Freeman won the mile, touched 2nd in the 500 free, and won the 200 free B final, among other strong swims.

Top Times (SCY/LCM)

• 50 free – 20.56/24.24
• 100 free – 44.60/51.59
• 200 free – 1:35.53/1:50.36
• 500/400 free – 4:16.99/3:54.12
• 1650/1500 free – 14:59.33/15:41.32
• 400 IM – 3:53.12/4:34.11

Freeman’s name is all over the age group top 100 rankings, as he’s made the top 100 in at least one event in the 11-12, 13-14, and 15-16 age groups for both SCY and LCM. His crowning achievement in age group ranks is the 13-14 NAG record of 1:53.31 in the 200 LCM free from 2015, while his outstanding meet at Winter Jrs this month left him ranked #4 in the 500, #7 in the 1650, and #9 in the 200 free in the 15-16 age group in SCY.

Florida just graduated a host of distance freestylers, and they’ll say goodbye to Italian freestyle stud Mitch D’Arrigo after this season. D’Arrigo is a three-time SEC Champion (1x 500 free, 2x 800 relay) and was the 500 free NCAA runner-up last year. As 16-year-old Freeman is just a junior (he still has at least a few months before he turns 17), he’ll also miss training with Olympic gold medalist Caeleb Dressel, who is a current college junior himself.

Nonetheless, Freeman will train with mid-distance free ace Rooney, which should make for a dynamic environment in practice. Looking forward, Freeman is already ready to score at SECs. At last year’s meet, he would’ve finished in the 500 free A final, 200 free B final, and would’ve been 6th in the 1650. He’s not too far off of scoring in the mile or the 500 at NCAA’s, either, though he’s very close to scoring level in the 500 in particular (he’s just tenths off of what it took to score in the 500 last year).

Freeman announced his commitment via Twitter:

Proud to announce my commitment to swim and study at the University of Florida. Can't thank my family and friends enough for guiding me. ???? pic.twitter.com/bXnAxybrrq

— Trey Freeman (@tfreeman_3) December 20, 2016