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High school junior Blake Amlicke has made a verbal commitment to swim and study at the University of Virginia beginning in the 2025-26 school year.
Amlicke hails from Clarksville, Tennessee. He swims for Pope Preparatory School and Nashville Aquatic Club and specializes in sprint free and backstroke. At the 2024 Tennessee High School State Swimming and Diving Championships in February, he was runner-up in both the 50 free (19.95) and 100 free (43.63), earning lifetime bests in both events. He also led off the medley relay (21.47 backstroke) and anchored the 400 free relay (43.55), helping Pope to finish 9th out of 47 teams in the boys’ meet.
In club swimming, Amlicke is a Summer Nationals qualifier in the 100 back and 200 back. He notched a PB in the 100 at 2023 Winter Juniors East, where he placed 6th in the 50 free (20.01), 14th in the 100 free (44.27), and 3rd in the 100 back (46.62). His best 200 back time dates from early March when he went 1:43.77 in prelims at Dynamo’s Southern Premier.
Amlicke kicked off 2024 long course season with new times in the 100 free (52.57) at PSS Knoxville in January and in the 100 back (55.76) at Dynamo’s long course time trials in February.
Best SCY times:
- 50 free – 19.95
- 100 free – 43.63
- 100 back – 46.62
- 200 back – 1:43.77
Amlicke is joining one of the most stacked 2025 classes, with verbal commitments from Thomas Heilman (#1), Maximus Williamson (#2), Thomas Mercer (#8), Josh Howat (#12), Grant Murphy, Jackson Tishler, and Noah Powers. Heilman, Williamson, Howat, Powers, and Amlicke are all sub-20 in the 50 free.
Amlicke is the latest member of the Nashville-to-Charlottesville pipeline, which also includes Spencer Nicholas (high school class of 2024) and 2023-24 UVA roster members Ella Nelson, Alex Walsh, and Gretchen Walsh.
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If you weren’t a fan of UVA when they finished 17th, don’t be a fan of them when they finish 11th 😤💪
didn’t him commit to Michigan before?
Yes
Bob Bowman shaking in his boots
When was the last time UVA finished top 5?
I think it was when Su Gondeez was taking over the swimming world
Mean but fair
Congrats!
Now they just need a breaststroker! Send a recruiter to Euro Jr.s, recruit a decent breaststroker with room to add 25 lbs of muscle, or else you’re teaching a flyer to “swim” breaststroke!!
We all already know how this is going to end
In retirement or regression
Show us on the doll where Todd hurt you.
Congrats Blake and on another note, with Gretchen Walsh’s relay split another sub 20 fifty freestyler 😀