SWFL athletes to look for in 2024

Author: Zach Oliveri, Sylvie Sparks
Published: Updated:
16-year-old Isabella Aponte. CREDIT: Veltins EisArena

Southwest Florida produced some of the most entertaining athletes in 2023, and 2024 won’t disappoint.

Records broken, championships won, and lifelong dreams fulfilled. It was an eventful 2023 for athletes all over southwest Florida.

As we turn begin 2024, it’s never too early to look ahead to 2024, where we expect to see even more accomplishments.

Here’s a look at four local athletes to keep your eyes on in the new year.

16-year-old Isabella Aponte is off to South Korea to compete in the Winter Youth Olympics. The Iona teenager will become the first woman to represent Puerto Rico in luge at the youth Olympic games.

She wants to win, and she wants to show others they can luge too.

“I’m gonna be able to be that person to open up this new world and show other girls my age at doing this as possible and that even though we’re young, we’re able to achieve so many things,” she said.

On the links, FGCU golfer Joe Sullivan will tee off in his first PGA tour event in the spring.

The senior won his first tournament as an eagle last fall to earn a spot in the 2024 Valero Texas Open.

More recently, Sullivan sank a tournament-leading 21 birdies at the Kapolei Invitational. Before he tees off in Texas, he’ll compete at the Sea Best Invitational in Jacksonville with the Eagles at the end of this month.

High school football season will be here before we know it. Among the stars to watch out for? First Baptist’s Winston Watkins Junior.

He joined the lion’s den mid-season and made an immediate impact. He originally committed to play college ball with Deion Sanders and then changed his mind. Expect big-time coaches to come here to recruit him. WINK will be all over how he plays and where he goes.

We do know where one of Lee County’s top players is headed after high school. Bishop Verot quarterback Carter Smith signed early with Michigan.

So, after his senior season with the Vikings, he’ll exchange the black and gold for the maize and blue in 2025.

“Being able to put that uniform on it means something. it means a lot to me now. it’s cool to be a part of it,” Smith said.

The four-star recruit already holds Lee County’s all-purpose touchdown record, and he’s sure to rack up even more accolades his senior year.

And we’re just getting started.

If you have a story or an athlete you think WINK should feature, email us at tips@winknews.com.

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