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Olivia Vecchio has signed with Florida Gulf Coast University’s class of 2029. Vecchio isn’t a year-round swimmer; instead, she’s a multi-sport athlete, playing water polo in the fall and swimming in the winter for Wilson High School in West Lawn, Penn. She earned First Team All-State honors for her water polo skills.
I’m so excited to announce my verbal commitment to Florida Gulf Coast University to continue my academic and athletic career at the d1 level! I can’t thank my family, friends, and coaches enough for all of their support this entire time. I would like to especially thank Coach Houck and @wilsonaquadawgs & @wilson.waterpolo for always believing in me and pushing me constantly to be a better person. Thank you Coach Dave for giving me this amazing opportunity! This is an absolute dream come true💙💚Wings up 🤙🦅
Vecchio is in the middle of her senior season for Wilson and recently logged season-bests in the 200 freestyle (1:56.08) and 100 backstroke (57.36) at Wilson’s New Year’s Challenge Meet. She swam her current lifetime bests in the 200 freestyle, 100 backstroke, and 100 butterfly during her junior season.
She was the 100 backstroke runner-up at the PIAA District 3 Girls 3A Championships, clocking a lifetime best of 56.57. Her 57.26 in the 100 butterfly, good for fourth place, marked a new lifetime best as well. She closed out her season at the PIAA 3A State Championship by finishing 12th in the 100 backstroke and 20th in the 100 butterfly.
Best Times (SCY):
- 100 backstroke: 56.57
- 100 butterfly: 57.26
- 100 freestyle: 53.16
- 200 freestyle: 1:54.20
Without focusing on swimming year-round, Vecchio will arrive on campus with conference scoring times. Her 100 backstroke and 100 butterfly lifetime bests both would’ve earned a second swim in the ‘B’ final of the 2024 ASUN Championships, with her 100 back lifetime best taking 12th and her 100 fly best finishing 14th.
It makes her a solid recruit for the Eagles; her times in these events would’ve been fourth (100 back) and sixth (100 fly) on the team’s depth chart for the 2023-24 season. Plus, she swam these times without focusing on swimming year-round and could see big drops once she begins her collegiate career this fall. Additionally, her 200 freestyle time would’ve been fifth on the team, which means she could find herself vying for a spot on another relay depending on how she develops and what events she chooses to focus on in college.
The Florida Gulf Coast women took third at the 2024 ASUN Championships with 579.5 points, finishing behind champions Liberty University (897.5) and runners-up Queens University, NC (792).
Vecchio is part of a five-strong recruiting class for Florida Gulf Coast, joining IMer Easton Glandt, free/backstroker Libby Freeman, and freestylers Ipek Aydiner and Sydney Ringwald
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