Florida Freshman Swimmer Jamie Bohunicky Tabbed The Gainesville Sun's Girls Swimmer of the Decade
Friday, September 25, 2009 | Women's Swimming & Diving
Gator freshman swimmer Jamie Bohunicky (Gainesville, Fla.) was named The Gainesville Sun's Girls Swimmer of the Decade Friday, while sophomore Lily Ramirez and former Gators Jenne Ballatore, Ashley Carusone and Kristin Gilliam were named as decorated swimmers of the decade by the local newspaper.
The Gainesville Sun, which is revealing its top athletes and teams of the last decade throughout the next year, honored Bohunicky for her contributions to the Buchholz High School girls swim team. Bohunicky was the 2006-08 Girls Swimmer of the Year, leading the Bobcats with eight FHSAA Class 3A state championship titles, including five individual and three relay titles. As a freshman at Buchholz, Bohunicky was a part of the Bobcats' team that won the 2005 State Championship.
“Jamie has the potential to be one of the best American distance freestylers ever,” Florida head coach Gregg Troy said. “She has a fantastic attitude and great race instincts. The best part about her coming to Florida is that she's local – we knew a lot about her. She's just a classy young lady.”
Bohunicky most recently competed nationally at the 2009 U.S. World Trials in Indianapolis, Ind., where she returned to finals in both the 200 and 400-meter freestyle races, while also swimming the 100-meter free and 200-meter fly. Additionally, Bohunicky took to the water in the same races at the 2008 U.S. Olympic trials in Omaha last summer, and rounded out 2008 national competition with a seventh-place finish in the 200 free at the 2008 U.S. Open.
Gilliam, Carusone and Ramirez racked up six, four and three state titles, respectively, during their high school tenures, Gilliam for Buchholz, and Carusone and Ramirez for Gainesville High School. Ballatore was honored as part of Buchholz High School's 2002 State Championship team, tabbed the Team of the Decade.
For the complete article in The Gainesville Sun, click here.
The 2009-10 Gator swim season kicks off Friday, Oct. 9, when Florida opens up on the road at Virginia for a 1 p.m. non-conference dual.
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