SWFL Recruiting: Florida gets local commit; Dunbar's Patterson heads to West Virginia

Bryan Cooney
The News-Press

USA Today Network-Florida writer Bryan Cooney will be regularly reporting on the recruitment of Southwest Florida athletes. If you have any news on a local athlete receiving an offer, making a visit, committing or signing, please email Bryan at bcooney@gannett.com.

Brendan Peacock has dreamed of suiting up in a Florida Gators uniform as a talented swimmer with a pedigree to match.

Following in the footsteps of his older sister and NCAA record-holder Stephanie, who swam Division I at North Carolina, Brendan made it official on Monday night by committing to the Gators. 

ECS junior swimmer Brendan Peacock verbally committed to the University of Florida.

"I had gone up 2-3 weeks ago and I loved it up there, it's my dream school," Peacock said. "I was having a fun time and the coach said that he had an offer ready. I called him Monday night, he gave me the offer and I took it."

The Evangelical Christian junior completed an impressive season this fall as he took second place in the 500 freestyle at the 1A State Championships, with his new personal best time of 4:29.41 earning him All-American consideration. He also placed ninth in the 200 freestyle with a time of 1:42.16.

Peacock was also interested in the University of Minnesota and the University of Tennessee but wanted to go ahead and end his recruitment so he can enjoy his senior year.

"It was a stressful process, looking at colleges and taking trips," Peacock said. "Now that stuff is gone and I know I'm going to UF, I can focus on school and my training more."

In August, Peacock will be competing at the US Junior Nationals on the campus of Stanford University in Palo Alto, Ca., participating in the 400, 800 and 1,500 freestyle. 

Dunbar alum Dekeriya Patterson, who spent her sophomore season at Chipola College, will transfer to the West Virginia University next season.

• Former Dunbar High School star Dekeriya Patterson will continue her basketball career at West Virginia after committing and signing with the Mountaineers after a recent visit.

Starting her college career at LSU after a decorated high school career at Dunbar, Patterson played in only 16 games in her freshman season in Baton Rouge before transferring to Chipola College. The 5-foot-9 guard had a stellar season, averaging 17.6 points per game to lead her team in scoring, connecting on 96 3-pointers as the Indians finished with a 22-6 record.

"We're very excited to have her as part of our program," WVU head coach Mike Carey said in a release. "She's a combo guard that has Division I experience. She'll come here with two years of eligibility left and can contribute immediately to the backcourt."

Patterson will be joining Chipola teammate Blessing Ejiofor as part of six West Virginia signees. The Mountaineers went 22-11 this past season, advancing to the third round of the Women's Postseason NIT.

Cape Coral senior Kelsey Miskimins will head to American University to compete on the indoor and outdoor track and field team along with the cross country team.

• Cape Coral senior Kelsey Miskimins announced on Monday she will be attending American University in Washington, D.C. where she will be a member of the indoor and outdoor track and field teams along with the cross country team.

Miskimins has been a member of the News-Press' Cross Country First Team the last two seasons with top-five finishes in the LCAC meets in the last two years and placed 46th at the 3A State Championship in her senior year after a 52nd-place finish as a junior.

The senior will be part of the Seahawks' 4x800 relay team that set a new school record at Tuesday's District 3A-11 Championship with a time of 10:04.71 that will race at the Region 3A-3 Championship on April 27 at Charlotte High School. 

American University competes in the Patriot League, and Miskimins will look to start her cross country career as an Eagle in the fall. In the winter, she will try to compete in the middle distance events for track.

"In terms of events, I'm probably going to be trying out the 800 to 3,000 meter," Miskimins said. "American is about 10 minutes away from the National Mall, so it's close to the everything without being right in the middle of the city so I'll be able to get away if I want to."

Fort Myers senior Madi Baron will swim at UNC Asheville next season after a successful career with the Green Wave.

• Fort Myers senior Madi Baron announced on Wednesday that she will be attending UNC Asheville where she will become a member of the Bulldog swimming and diving team.

Baron was a member of The News-Press All-Area second team as a freshman and sophomore and in her senior season was a first-team selection as she was a state participant in three events. She finished 12th in the 100 backstroke at the 3A State Championships with a time of 1:01.39.

UNC Asheville was Baron's second official visit and from the moment she stepped on campus and got to be around the team, she felt instantly that the tight-knit family atmosphere was something she wanted to be a part of.

"The whole trip was amazing and I found myself seeing I'd be successful in the pool and most importantly in the classroom," Baron said. "I knew the school was the one for me when I left to go to the airport."

Baron will major in sports medicine and sign her letter of intent on April 30.

ECS senior runner Elizabeth Wetmore will sign with Jacksonville University on April 25.

• Evangelical Christian will have three student-athletes sign letters of intents on April 25 at 9 a.m., with the ceremony taking place at the Sentinel Field House.

Elizabeth Wetmore will stay in-state to run track for Jacksonville University after an accomplished ECS career in multiple sports. A member of the basketball, volleyball, cross country and track and field teams, Wetmore was a News-Press First Team All-Area selection in cross country her senior season. 

Finishing her career with the Sentinel track and field team, she was part of last year's state champion 4x400 relay team that will look to repeat with the state championships taking place May 3-4 in Jacksonville.

Logan Pearlman will play basketball at Covenant College after an outstanding Sentinel career in both football and basketball.

Pearlman threw 36 touchdown passes in his last two season as the Sentinel quarterback for the football team, throwing for more than 2,000 yards as senior. On the hardwood, Pearlman averaged 13.3 points per game in his career at ECS and scored over 1,000 points in his Sentinel career. ECS went 21-5 this past season, their first 20-win season in six years.

Isabella DeCosta will sign to swim at Virginia Military Institute, qualifying as a regional participant in her senior season at ECS.