I started swimming with Waukesha Express when I was nine and it just kind of clicked. Growing up, my parents kept me very active and I participated in just about any sport that was offered for some period of time. Joining the swim team actually started as a joke, because my parents were convinced that I wouldn’t be able to talk underwater...and they were right! As I started training more and more, swimming became the only thing I really had time for. As most swimmers could tell you, competitive swimming is a year round thing, which is what I did until graduating from high school in 2010.

2. How did you end up deciding to attend y

our university and participate in athletics?
When I started talking to schools, it was really important to myself and my family that I decided on a school that was an overall good fit, just in case I didn’t end up swimming all four years. The first time I was in Mankato for an unofficial visit, I loved the campus. We came during Vikings training camp, which was also a huge draw for me, since I was intending to get into the sport industry during my undergraduate degree. That was key for me. After meeting the team during an official visit, the whole package was there which made it really easy to commit to MSU over the other schools I had visited.

3. What have you learned from being a student-athlete?
The list of things I have learned from being a student-athlete is very, very long...but things that stick out to me is the ability to multitask, as well as manage your time wisely. Competing at the Division II level provides a structure for me, that a lot of my other peers do not have. Balancing academics with training and traveling definitely helped me figure out how to manage my time efficiently, which will definitely help in the “real world.” I have also learned a lot about leadership, and the different qualities different people possess that make them great leaders. I have learned a lot of this through the many coaches, bosses and teammates I have had in the past four years.

4. What are your plans following graduation?
I am hoping to iron out my plans after graduation once my swimming career wraps up this season. We are in the grind of our season, so I haven’t had a lot of time to really sit down and figure out what I want to do straight out of college. I have experience both at the college and professional levels in the sports industry, so those areas are both options right now. There’s a lot of opportunity out there, I just need to take the time and figure out what is going to be best for me in the long run.

5. What is it like competing in the NSIC?
Last year was the first year we actually had an NSIC Championship meet, but I think that it is a great thing that we are able to compete against the rest of our conference. The majority of our team has grown up swimming for different club programs across the country, so to be able to come together and compete against teams within our conference at the end of the season is a great feeling. There are some very strong teams within our conference that definitely bring out our competitive sides during conference competition!

6. Where is your favorite place to travel/play in the NSIC? (Besides your home arena) What makes it your favorite?
Competing at the Rochester-Olmstead County Rec. Center is definitely a favorite of mine. My club team occasionally had meets at this facility growing up, so competing there again at our mid-season and conference meets has been great. There are also a lot of familiar faces at meets in Rochester which is great. Swimming in the midwest my whole life, I have made friends from other teams and am now able to see them at college meets, which is always fun. One of my favorite age-group coaches, now coaches for the club team in Rochester, so it is always great seeing him when we are in town for meets. Besides that, it is a fast pool that we always look forward to swimming at throughout the year.

7. What is your favorite memory so far in your collegiate career?
We have been fortunate enough to travel to Hawaii for our winter break training trip every year since I’ve been here. Traveling to Hawaii year after year with my teammates has been one of the greatest experiences I’ve had in my four years at Minnesota State and I wouldn’t have been able to do that without college athletics.

8. Who has influenced you most in your life and how?
My parents and immediate family has been very influential to me growing up and I can’t thank them enough. My parents raised my sister and I to work hard for what we want to achieve. They led by example and are very successful in what they do. They have always been supportive of what we want to do and will help us make it become a reality. They have also spent countless hours driving me to and from practice and sitting through boring, long swim meets just to watch me succeed and that is something that I will be forever grateful for. In my swimming career, I’ve also had a lot of different coaches who I am extremely lucky to have. Each and every single one of them was able to bring me closer to achieving the goals I have set for myself. It’s safe to say that without role models like my parents and coaches, I wouldn’t have swam competitively for 12 years.

Any additional information you would like to add, unique stories or situations, etc. Something people don’t know about you that you would like to share.
Within my 12 years of competitive swimming, I have had numerous different coaches throughout different stages in my career. I just wanted to thank them for all that they have done for me and what they continue to do for the swimmers that hope to swim in college someday! Thank you JB, Blaine, Mollie, and Kyle - Who knows if I’d be swimming in the NSIC without you! Also Buzz, Andrew, Toni and Jerod for coaching me while I’ve been at Minnesota State. Having different coaches every year hasn’t been easy, but you guys have helped me so much throughout my career!