Pine Crest swimmer hoping to close championship career by breaking state records

Pine Crest senior Julia Podkoscielny has never tried out for another sport.

No need.

She’s already a swimming star, winning at least one individual state title in each of her first three years of high school – five in total.

“She’s an unbelievably gifted and talented swimmer,” Pine Crest diving coach Janet Gabriel said. “And she has one of the best swimming coaches in the country.”

That reference is to her father, Pine Crest coach Mariusz Podkoscielny, a native of Poland who competed in the 1988 and 1992 Olympics. At the Seoul Olympics in ’88, he broke an Olympic record in qualifying for the 400-meter freestyle before finishing in fifth place in that event and fifth also in the 1500-meter free.

Dagmara, who is his wife and Julia’s mother, was also an accomplished swimmer in Poland, competing in the European Championships in the 400 individual medley.

With that type of influence in her household, it’s no wonder Julia Podkoscielny has become a swimming force, and it didn’t hurt that she grew up across the street from the Pine Crest pool.

Podkoscielny, who turns 18 on August 30, is an aspiring dermatologist with a 4.2 grade-point average.

She has great size for a swimmer at 5-10 and 135 pounds, and Podkoscielny considered Stanford and visited Virginia and Texas before committing to the Gators in October of 2021.

“I always wanted to go to college out of state,” Podkoscielny said. “Florida wasn’t my top choice until I visited. It was my first visit, and I was shocked how much I liked it.

“It’s a bonus that it’s close to home, and I like the warm weather. My dad knew the coaches at Florida really well, and that was a good connection.”

Podkoscielny, who competed in the Olympic Trials last year and has a goal to make the Games in 2024, won her first two state titles as a freshman: the 200 IM and the 100 back.

She won both events again as a sophomore, and she took gold in the 200 IM last year.

This year, she hopes to break the state record in the 200 IM.

But Podkoscielny isn’t the only top swimmer on the Pine Crest girls’ team. Senior Riley Botting, who was a state finalist last year in the 100 breast and 500 free, has committed to swim for Yale.

Pine Crest’s boys’ swim team is led by senior Colin Nealy, who competes in the 100 fly and the 100 free.

Then there’s the Pine Crest diving program, which after last season graduated Kevin Mendez, who now competes for the University of North Carolina. Mendez broke the Florida record by winning six straight state titles.

Fortunately for the Pine Crest Panthers, sophomore Allen Levitis, junior Danyal Ghadial and seventh-grader Ashton Jacobi have positioned themselves to fill the void left by Mendez.

Levitis finished second at state last year, and he has since added a high-degree of difficulty dive, a reverse 2½.

Ghadial missed last season due to a wrist injury, but he can twist in all directions and is good in the tuck position, Gabriel said.

Jacobi is already a national qualifier, finishing top-eight at state last year.

“He didn’t miss one dive,” Gabriel said.

Pine Crest also has a top diver in the girls’ competition as senior Ava Andersen returns after finishing third at state last year.

THIS AND THAT

▪ Key dates - Monday: Regular season meets begin; Sept. 21: Palm League Invitational at University School; Oct. 12: GMAC championship; Oct. 14-15: Belen Invitational; Oct. 15: BCAA championship at Plantation Aquatic Complex; Oct. 17-22: Class 4A-3A districts; Oct. 24-29: Class 4A-3A regionals, Class 2A-1A districts; Oct. 31-Nov. 5: Class 2A-1A regionals; Nov. 4-5: Class 4A-3A state meet at Sailfish Splash Waterpark and Aquatics Center in Stuart; Nov. 11-12: Class 4A-3A state meet at Sailfish Splash Waterpark and Aquatics Center in Stuart.

▪ Doral Academy’s boys’ squad went 8-0 last season and will be led by seniors Sebastian Pacheco (100 fly) and Logan Gonzalez (100 back). The Firebirds’ girls went 6-2 in 2021 and are led by seniors Isa Alvarez (100 back) and Ruby Montes de Oca (200 free).

▪ Columbus is led by senior Marc Dabby (100 free).

▪ Lourdes is led by junior regional champ Corina Wong (200 free, 500 free).

▪ Ransom Everglades is led by sophomore Kiera Rampersad.

▪ Carrollton is led by sophomore Isabelle Wilson (500 free).

▪ American Heritage’s girls are led by senior Amari Porter (100 free) and the boys are led by sophomore Alessandro Pereira (200 IM) and junior Rithvik Marri (500 free).

▪ Chaminade is led by sophomore Leonardo Garcia (50 and 100 free) on the boys’ side and senior Carys Rey (50 free) on the girls’ side.

▪ Belen is led by seniors Thomas Fanjul (200 IM, 100 breast), John Chiappone (50 free, 100 free) and Henry Castellat (100 back).

▪ Cypress Bay is led by junior Stephen Kim on the boys’ team and senior district champ Nicol Bellardi for the girls.

▪ North Broward Prep is led by senior Christina Saiger (100 fly, 100 back) on the girls’ side and junior Martin Viola (50 free) on the boys’ side.

▪ St. Brendan’s boys are led by junior Richard Navarro (100 back) and its girls’ squad is led by senior Anacristina Uribe (100 free, 100 back).

▪ Goleman’s boys are led by senior Cristian Pena (200 IM).

This story was originally published August 18, 2022 at 8:00 AM.