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Melissa Blaine has announced her verbal commitment to Ohio University, beginning with the 2024-2025 season. Blaine is wrapping up her junior year at Cape Coral High School in Florida. She also trains and competes year-round with Swim Florida, located in Fort Myers.
“I am so excited to announce my verbal commitment to continue my academic and athletic career at Ohio University! I would like to thank my family, coaches, friends, and the Ohio University Swim and Dive family for all their support. Go Bobcats!”
Blaine, a distance freestyle and IM specialist, most recently competed at the 2023 Florida Senior Championships in March. She hit a personal best time in the 1650, recording a 17:04.15 to finish 7th overall. She also picked up a top-8 finish in the 400 IM, going a 4:29.08 in finals to take 5th. In 2022, Blaine came away with the 1650 title, hitting a 17:04.80.
Blaine has had a successful high school career thus far, highlighted by her FHSAA 2A state title in the 200 IM in 2021 (2:04.97). Blaine didn’t get the opportunity to defend her 2A title, as her school made the jump up to 3A this past year. In addition to making the move to 3A, her high school team also dealt with a disruption in training direct hit from Hurricane Ian leading up to the state meet. Despite this, Blaine still managed to earn 3rd in the 500 (4:59.73) and 4th in the 200 IM (2:06.42) individually.
Top SCY Times:
- 200 free – 1:53.55
- 500 free – 4:58.82
- 1000 free – 10:10.24
- 1650 free – 17:04.15
- 200 breast – 2:21.34
- 200 IM – 2:04.97
- 400 IM – 4:25.26
Ohio University is a Division I mid-major program that competes in the Mid-American Conference (MAC). This year the Bobcats took 4th out of 8 teams, led by Ami Hornyak and Lauren Hartel who won one individual event each.
Hartel took home the MAC title in the 1650, winning in a personal best time of 16:35.18. She was joined in the top-8 by Morgan Croaning, who finished 6th at 16:52.63. Blaine’s personal best time from this year would have finished 12th at the MAC Championships, meaning she is poised to make an immediate impact when she arrives on campus. Hartel will still be on campus when Blaine arrives, which should help the Bobcats maintain their distance freestyle depth.
Blaine is the first public commitment for Ohio’s class of 2028. In the incoming class, Ashley Sallows also specializes in distance and owns personal best times of 5:03.93/17:18.83 in the 500 and 1650.
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Congratulations and Good Luck Melissa!