If you are looking for what Angela Coe does this fall swim season, you will not see her name. 

The Charleston High School senior and University of Texas recruit has decided to forgo her senior swimming season. 

“I’ve been swimming with the Heat this summer in Champaign,” said Coe. “I’m not going to swim high school this year. My focus right now is on Junior Nationals in Irvine (California). After that, I will continue swimming with the Heat for the following year.”

Coe completed one of the greatest individual seasons an athlete from the school has ever accomplished. Coe earned two third-place medals at the IHSA state swimming championships, which included third place in the 200 individual medley and the 100-yard butterfly. Her performance was so great that she was one of three swimmers that broke the previous state mark in the 200-individual medley. 

Even before this historic finish, Coe garnered significant interest from the nation’s top collegiate swim programs. According to Coe, she was talking to Texas, Virginia, California Berkeley, Michigan, Florida, Louisville, Tennessee, Ohio State, South Carolina, Albania, Arizona State, and George. 

NCAA Rules state that an athlete can take five official visits, so her top five choices came down to Louisville, Tennessee, Virginia, Georgia and Texas. 

Coe was born in Taiwan, a reason she joined Charleston later in the year as a sophomore  She moved to the United States in 2018 but has returned to Taiwan each summer to work on her all-around training like distance, sprints and technique. Swimming since the age of 4 because her sister swam well, Coe has been swimming year-round since she was 6 years old. 

As a sophomore, Coe put herself on the map as one of the greatest swimmers in the United States. She went a perfect 8-for-8 in school records. Most would call that a successful season, but Coe has been determined to want more, which led to her return to Taiwan. 

Last season, the Charleston girls swim team had its best showing in school history. Out of 29 teams, the Trojans placed second overall, just missing out on their first-ever IHSA Sectional Championship. 

Coe led the charge by qualifying for the IHSA State Swimming Championships by taking first in the 200-yard individual medley and in the 100-yard butterfly. Coe won by nearly four seconds, which included a pool record time of 54.63 at the Urbana Indoor Aquatic Center. 

According to SwimSwam, a national swimming website, Coe will make an “immediate impact” for the Longhorns, who finished as the nation’s runner-up as a team. 

Coe said she wants to be ready to help Texas compete right away.

“My goal is to stay injury-free and improve where I can to be ready to swim for UT,” said Coe. “I wish the best for the Charleston girls’ swim team and hope they have a great season.”

TOMORROW’S ATHLETE (Thursday): Mattoon High golfer Stewart Druin.