Swimming fans have gotten to see plenty of Katie Ledecky's swim cap over the past 12 years. It's typically the one that's heading one direction while the others are going in another. It's the one that's at the far edge of a screen with the rest of the swimmers still on the other side.
Most are accustomed to seeing it as being adorned with an American flag since she so often is representing the United States in international competitions, particularly the Olympics. That will be what is on her cap in July when she heads to Paris to compete in her fourth Olympic Games.
At this year's USA Olympics team trials, there was something a bit different about her cap that fans might notice. It featured a gator. Not just any gator, either. It's the gator mascot of the Florida Gators.
Ledecky, now 27, is past her collegiate days, so, why does her swim cap feature a college logo on it? Here's what you need to know.
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Where did Katie Ledecky go to college?
Ledecky went to college at Stanford from 2016-18. She only attended the university for two years before becoming a full-time professional swimmer.
While at Stanford, Ledecky won eight NCAA championships, claiming titles in the 200y free, 500y free, 1650y free, and 400y free relay as a freshman and the 500y free, 1650y free and 800y free relay as a sophomore. She shattered records in the 500y, 1000y, 1650y, 400m, and 800m free races, as well as the 1500m free relay.
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Did Katie Ledecky go to Florida?
Ledecky did not attend the University of Florida. However, she did start a role as a volunteer coach with the Gators in 2021 that coincided with her decision to train at Florida for the 2024 Olympics with the Gator Swim Club.
"I'm excited to be a part of the University of Florida's world-class swimming and diving program and train for the 2024 Olympics with Coach Anthony Nesty, and the top-tier mid-distance and distance training group," Ledecky said in a release. "My years at Stanford, both academically and athletically, were nothing short of incredible and I'm looking forward to the opportunity and challenges that lie ahead in Gainesville."
Ledecky had been training at Stanford until 2021, but after the Tokyo Olympics, she decided to move down to Florida, in part to be closer to her family, according to the San Francisco Chronicle.
A native of Bethesda, Md., Ledecky said the pandemic build-up to the Tokyo Olympics made her feel far from home and showed her how much she missed being closer to them.
"During that time, that gap from the West Coast to the East Coast felt larger than ever before," Ledecky told the Chronicle.
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Her time at Florida has already proven inspirational to other Gator Olympic hopefuls like Bobby Finke, the Olympic men's gold medalist in the 800m and 1500m free in the 2021 Tokyo Olympics.
Ledecky and Finke reportedly will often race against one another in the distance events, with both trading victories.
"To get her at Florida and see how she trains and treats practices and competitions, just her relentless effort to try to get better, she’s added a lot to our program," Finke told the Chronicle. "Just what is possible in the sport. The whole level that she takes the sport.
"We're all just trying to get to Katie's level."
