Nowak to swim for Florida Atlantic

Jason Thompson/Gulf Breeze News Nowak inks with Owls Michala Nowak, a nine-time state tournament participant, signed a swimming scholarship with Florida Atlantic last week. Also pictured are parents Kari and Dave Nowak and former GBHS swim coach Teri Atzhorn. Michala Nowak, a ninetime state meet performer, signed a swimming scholarship with Florida Atlantic University last week.

Nowak had drawn a lot of interest from the Boca Raton school, but she wanted to try and walk on at Florida State, where former GBHS teammates Stevi Steinhauer and Jessie Carr swim. But after visiting FSU, Nowak had a change of heart.

"I had a rough season and I didn't want to swim," Nowak said. "But I still thought I'd like Florida State. Then I went to orientation and I hated it. I realized that the only reason I ever wanted to go there was their swim program and they had no spots left on their roster for me anymore, so I contacted FAU, because I really wanted to swim again."

"(I) just made a phone call," said former GBHS coach Teri Atzhorn, whose son and daughter both swim at South Carolina. "She came back from FSU and we discussed things. I think FAU is a good fit for Michala. They wanted her in the fall, so this is going to be really super."

Nowak will most likely be a freestyle swimmer at FAU, but could also compete in the backstroke. Nowak has competed in the 100 and 200 yard freestyles at state the last three years, finishing ninth in the 200 free as a sophomore. She was a part of GBHS' 200 yard medley relay that finished fourth her freshman year and the 400 yard freestyle relay that took eighth that year.

As of Friday, she wasn't sure if she was going to get any 'athletic money.' "I would've if I had signed earlier in the year," she said.

"Michala is probably one of hardest working athletes that I've trained," Atzhorn said. "She comes from that core group that we had here at The Club. "She works very hard at things. They're getting a very driven swimmer. She wants to accomplish certain goals - one of those goals was to swim in college and I'm happy she's going to get to do that. I think it's wonderful for her."

Nowak is one of approximately a half dozen members of the GBHS Class of 2009 that will attend FAU in the fall and one of two will be competing in sports. Jesse Vickrey will be a member of the FAU soccer team, while Gulf Breeze resident Jeff Van Camp is on the Owls' football team.