Florida swim and dive is entering a new era, one defined as much by who is leaving as who is arriving.
As the offseason gets underway, all eyes shift to what is next. The Gators are set to lose some of the program’s biggest names, but an influx of international and Olympic-level talent could help soften the blow.
The Gator men’s team placed second at the NCAA Championships in early March, marking its best finish in 41 years. The women followed with a 10th-place finish, securing their fourth consecutive top-10 result nationally. At the SEC Championships in February, the men finished runner-up for the second straight year, while the women placed third.
Now, the roster begins to turn over.
The headline loss is senior Josh Liendo, a two-time Olympian, 26-time All-American and the 2026 SEC Male Swimmer of the Year. One of the most decorated sprinters in program history, Liendo will not return, though his future plans remain unclear. A potential appearance in the 2028 Summer Olympics looms.
The men’s team is expected to lose five swimmers and one diver to graduation.
On the women’s side, turnover appeared minimal until it wasn’t.
Sophomore Anita Bottazzo shocked many by entering the transfer portal, announcing her decision via Instagram one day before the window closed. The Venice, Italy, native is coming off a breakout season that included three SEC titles and a silver medal in the 100-yard breaststroke at the NCAA Championships.
Her departure adds an unexpected wrinkle to an otherwise young and stable women’s roster, which will lose just three swimmers and one diver to graduation.
With key departures and a surprise exit, Florida turned aggressively to the recruiting pool and cast a wide net.
The men’s incoming group features U.S. Olympian and Texas transfer David Johnson, 2024 Olympic Trials qualifier and distance swimmer Santi Alzate, South African butterfly specialist Tai Person, European Junior champion Zoltan Bagi of Tiszaújváros, Hungary, and breaststroke specialist Liam Smith.
On the women’s side, Florida adds Bomin Kim of Gyeonggi-do, South Korea, a freestyle and IM specialist who competed at the 22nd World Aquatics Championships, along with freestyle sprinter and Olympic Trials qualifier Maddie Moreth. Francesca Zucca, a breaststroke specialist from Cagliari, Italy, brings international experience after earning bronze at the 2025 FISU World University Games.
The talent is there. The question now is how quickly it comes together.
Replacing production like Liendo’s and now Bottazzo’s will not be easy. But with one of the deepest incoming classes in recent years, Florida has positioned itself to remain in the national conversation heading into next season.
