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When did you first become involved in swimming?
I started swim lessons when I was around 9 and the lifeguards told me that I should try out for the swim team that ran through the same location. After that, I started swimming for Crimson Aquatics at the youth levels and continued to swim throughout high school and into college.  
 
What attracted you to it?
I think that the thing that attracted me most to swimming was that I was able to get physical activity in while also being able to do something that helped my mind relax at times especially when swimming longer distances. 
 
At the University, you swim the backstroke and the butterfly. What's the key to succeeding with each of those strokes?
Underwaters and turns are key to succeeding in these strokes in my opinion. They can really make or break a race. If you aren't using that momentum off of the walls to your advantage, then you won't see the results you want. 
 
You're concentrating on the 'sprint' distances. Were you always a sprint swimmer?
In high school, I swam almost everything including the distance events so I wouldn't really say I was either, but my best events did happen to be in the sprint and mid-distance events. 
 
Some coaches in other sports talk about first-year student-athletes getting 'adjusted to the college game'. What adjustments did you have to make as a first-year competitor?
I think that one change I wasn't used to was dual meets or more tailored practices. They were welcome adjustments but being on the club team prior the main focus was more individualized in the sense that the main goal was to get best times and qualify for higher meets. But in college, there is more emphasis on the team as a whole. It also took some time to get used to how practices were set up. On a club team, we would have one set that everyone at that practice would do, but in college we are divided based on our specific strengths (distance, sprint, and stroke) which was new to me, but a welcome change. 
 
You swam with the Crimson Aquatics Club while you were in high school. Where did you train and where did the club compete?
I trained at the Whitinsville Community Center in Whitinsville, MA and occasionally would have practices with other branches in Boston and Andover. We competed in smaller meets between our branches in various local pools. We did get the chance to travel and compete in places like Indianapolis, Ithaca, Schenectady, and White Junction for some championship meets. 
 
You competed at the Speedo Sectionals and the New England Championships. What's the environment like at those events?
It was kind of a stressful environment but when you are with your teammates and friends it can create a very positive atmosphere. 
 
When you are home, do you work with any youth programs – coaching, counselling, serving as an official or a timer? What do you like about doing that?
During the summer months I am normally a lifeguard but sometimes I will get to help with swim lessons where I get the chance to use my knowledge of swimming in order to help young kids appreciate swimming as much as I do. 
 
What led you to the University of Rochester?
In my junior year of high school, I was awarded the Bausch and Lomb scholarship through my science department which was probably the first time I had heard of the school. I decided to take some tours and reach out to the coaches and decided that I liked the college atmosphere and applied. Once accepted, I was between a couple schools but ultimately chose U of R because it was the most affordable for me and my family. 
 
Why did you choose Biochemistry as your major?
In high school, I found myself really enjoying biology, chemistry, and math so I thought biochemistry was just the perfect way to combine all of these into one concentration. I also decided to double major in psychology as well when I took some psychology classes and realized that I was really interested in the ways in which our minds work. 
 
Are you involved in any campus groups tied to your studies? If not, will you become involved?
I recently got accepted into the EDRA program that runs through the school and I believe that will really help me decide what career paths are right for me by having hands on experience and patient interactions in the emergency department.