Backstroke and freestyle specialist Ryan Peters of Tampa Bay Aquatics/Countryside High School has given a verbal commitment to University of Cincinnati. Peters is a high school all-American in the 100 back and the 2012 Florida 3A state runner-up with a time of 50.5. He is a strong freestyler with bests of 21.2/46.3/1:41.0/4.36.6 in the 50-100-200-500 freestyles and has also been 1:53.6 in the 200 IM. His versatility will help the Bearcat relays.
He should immediately be at least on two of Cincinnati’s relays, though he’ll have a shot at all three free relay as a freshman at least.
Countryside just began their high school championship season this weekend with District meets; they’re in Florida’s Class 4A, District 6.
Peters is the second Bearcat men’s swimmer signed from Tampa Bay Aquatics in the last 6 months since the University of Cincinnati brought back scholarship funding to its men’s swimming team. Beginning in the fall of 2013-14, UC has implemented an aggressive plan to ultimately offer the full NCAA complement of grant-in-aid scholarships to student-athletes in men’s swimming and other Olympic Sports.
Thanks to Gary Peters for contributing the bulk of this report.