BELEN JESUIT SWIMMING

The 2024 season played out as expected with the swimmers continuing to rise to the challenges they set for themselves.  Navigating their way through the regular season is always difficult as they learn to compete and put each other in a position to succeed.  The Wolverines finished the regular season undefeated and also won the Belen Jesuit Swimming Invitational. 

An FHSAA realignment of teams put the team in a new state classification and thus changed the look of the entire State Series.  Immediately, we were faced with a much more difficult and challenging District Championship as Gulliver entered the mix of new teams.  The Wolverines didn’t flinch and dominated the meet swimming extremely well.  At Regionals, we would see the same teams as well as some new faces including past and soon to be State Champions.   The meet went extremely well and a large number of swimmers qualified for the State Championships.

Now, the time had arrived.  Our best team in years arrived in Ocala for the 2A State Championships.  We knew that if we wanted to break back into the top 10, the team would have to swim lights out and we would need to outperform our seeds.  After months of training, analyzing and breaking down the meet, it was time to race.  The meet kicked off with the 200 Medley Relay and then it was on to the individual events.  Our relays all qualified for the “A” Finals with two teams picking up big points and medals.  Individually, Jose Serratos ’25, Ariel Gutierrez ’28, Ben Fanjul ’26, Alec De Angulo ’28 and Chris De Angulo ’26 qualified for Finals.  All the swimmers swam extremely well but we were buoyed by Alec and Chris De Angulo. 

As the Finals were winding down, it seemed as if the Wolverines were saving their best for last.  A top 8 finish in the 200 Freestyle Relay, then a 4^th place finish by Alec De Angulo in the 100 backstroke made way for the race of the meet.  Chris De Angulo stepped up to the block as the 2^nd seed.  His first 50 had him in 5^th place and he roared off the 2^nd wall moving up to 2^nd place with 25 yards to go.  With a great turn, he exploded on his final lap, blowing past the field and touch 1^st becoming Belen’s first swimming State Champion in 6 years.  His time also broke a school record that stood for over 30 years!!  The Wolverines weren’t done yet as they had the 400 Freestyle Relay which again finished with medals around the relay members necks.  Alec De Angulo posted the fastest times for a Freshman across all four classifications in his two events and Chris De Angulo’s time and place earned him 1^st Team All Dade honors.   They will both be back next year along with many of the swimmers who competed at the state championships.  This program is not done moving up.  Big things are expected next year and we are excited to see what this group of young men can do next.