What got you into swimming?

When I was five, my parents put me into swimming. I think it was mainly because I was a really chubby kid and they wanted me to be able to lose weight and have a way to exercise. I just kind of ended up sticking around because I liked it, and I’ve continued with it since then.

Do you swim for the club and the school?

I do both. For Carmel it’s really interesting because when the high school season starts nothing really changes, we just have to organize high school lanes. So people who only swim club here have to go into separate lanes because that’s a rule in the State of Indiana. But nothing really changes besides that.

What’s your favorite memory of swimming?

I think my favorite memory was my sophomore year of high school (at the) State (meet) because I did really well there and it was really awesome because my training partner at the time (Anderson Kopp), we both got our first summer junior cuts and afterwards we were super excited and went to embrace each other but we missed, so that was kind of funny.

What made you commit to UPenn?

I really had a good relationship with the head coach and I really liked him a lot. I think Penn offers a great balance of academics and swimming and Philadelphia is also a great city. It’s a quick two-hour flight from home, so it’s pretty close to home and I can come home whenever I want to. 

What do you plan to major in?

I plan to major in economics through the College of Arts and Sciences. I’m also interested in taking some psychology classes because they interest me and it would go well with economics. I think I also want to take some statistics classes too. I think those three all go well together.

What was the recruiting process like for UPenn?

Recruiting starts the summer of your sophomore year, so that’s when you can start talking to coaches. I had a call with the head coach of UPenn and we just had a couple calls over the summer and I liked him a lot. We had a really great relationship and I really liked him, so we continued talking and he eventually gave me a spot.

Are there applications for recruiting?

You have to go through a pre-read. They scan through all of your documents and your SAT, GPA through junior year, grades and what classes you want to take senior year.

Were there any other schools you were considering?

I visited some other schools, but I really wanted to go Ivy League because the balance of athletics and academics was better. The opportunities they provide you are also really great. You’re surrounded by really great people, which I also wanted.

What are your personal goals for collegiate swimming?

I want to contribute at the conference level. I think I already have some times that can score but I think making the A Finals (which is the Top 8) and just being a contributing factor to the team is something I want to do.

What does a day in your life as a student athlete look like?

It’s pretty boring. You wake up at 5:45 a.m. on morning practice days and we go to practice for two hours. Our earliest practice is 6:15 to 8:30 a.m. and then I’ll go and eat breakfast in the cafeteria and then I’ll go to class. If it’s a Gold Day, I’ll go home. If it’s a Blue Day, I’ll go to class. We have afternoon practice from 4:20 to 6 p.m. and I’ll go home, chill a little bit, play with my dogs, eat, do some homework, relax, go to bed and just repeat that process.

Do you experience burnout as a student athlete?

I think it can definitely be challenging at times and there are definitely some points where you don’t feel like doing anything. I think just concentrating on your goals helps keep your discipline. I think motivation is very temporary, but discipline keeps you consistent, which is the most important thing. Also just having fun with it and trying to keep things light, especially in swimming, because it can be so rigorous and you’re just staring at a line for two hours. I like swimming though, so I think that helps me get through it as well.

What lessons have you learned from swimming?

I think the most important thing is your journey and knowing it can be very different from the person next to you. Not everyone’s going to be at the same level at the same time, but the destination can be the same and the timing is just different. I think it’s super important to enjoy yourself doing the sport because the more passionate you are about something the more you’ll find ways to persevere through hard times.

Have the lessons you’ve learned from swimming carried over in other areas of your life?

I think so. I think swimming, especially here, has taught me a really good work ethic and I think I’ve been able to carry that over into the academic side of my life and hold myself accountable in a lot of things.

What’s your thought process while getting ready to swim?

For me, I tend to get pretty nervous. The more nervous I get, the worse I swim. I’ve gotten a lot better, though, at managing my nerves, and I do that by relaxing and trying to enjoy the moment. I’m always trying to talk to someone or find something to laugh at. Before I get on the blocks, I try to take a couple deep breaths and remember that swimming is great but it doesn’t define who I am as a person and that it’s just something I do. That usually helps me do my best. 

What’s been your biggest challenge as a swimmer?

I think time management is something that’s really difficult. It can be hard sometimes when we have two practices and you’re exhausted. You have to get home and eat dinner and it’s like 7 p.m. and you have to get to bed by 9 p.m. and you only have two hours to do homework but it takes three to four hours to do. That’s been something that’s really challenging. 

Do you feel like you’ve lost out on quintessential high school experiences because of your dedication to swimming?

My friends and I always kind of talk about it and wonder what it would be like to not be a swimmer and just be able to be a regular student. But I also think that swimming has also brought me a lot of things I would never be able to have if I wasn’t a swimmer. So that makes up for any of the lost experiences. But I think I’ve still been able to pursue my passions. Like I’ve been enjoying basketball lately, so I’ve been able to watch basketball in my free time.

What motivates you to keep going?

I think my drive. I’ve always kind of been the type of person where I’m never really satisfied. Of course, I’m very happy with my results, especially right now. I think Kobe Bryant really said it well when he talked about how when he started his NBA career there were people like Michael Jordan and Larry Bird who were the greatest (players) of all time, but he said he wanted to get to that level and that he might not be able to but he wants to see how far he could go. So I want to see how far I can go. Whatever the result is at the end, I’ll be happy with it.

Who are some of your role models in life and swimming?

I think Aaron Shackell here is a really good role model. Obviously really talented and very hardworking, he made the Olympics in 2024. I think we’ve had a lot of good role models on this team. We’ve had Drew Kibbler who trained with us, and he was an Olympian in 2021 and 2024. Gregg Enoch, Anderson Kopp and Ethan Zhang were all great role models and they pushed you every day to be the best you could be. So even if it’s someone who’s a grade above you or below you, everyone’s always pushing you to do better.

What advice would you give to younger swimmers at CHS?

I think you should just enjoy the process especially because swimming can be such a hard sport and I think it’s very important to enjoy what you’re doing and just have fun everyday. Recognize that your journey might be different than the person next to you but you can still find the success that’s meant for you.