Ashley Swenty

By Shawna Carpentier
UWRF Sports Information

Falcon sophomore Ashley Swenty joins the River Falls women's swim team for her second season and she's loving every minute of it.

What She Has to Love
"[I] have a lot of fun; it's not very intense," says Swenty, "We're a small team so there is not a lot of pressure to win."  

The swim team, according to Henderson, respects her. "She is a true joy to have on the team," he says.

Swenty has been swimming since she was in fifth grade. Growing up on Lake Nokomis near Tomahawk, Wis., she has always loved to swim. With a love for the water motivating her, Swenty took her own advice as a swim competitor.

"You can't go wrong to try," explains Swenty who expresses that swimming may be an intense sport, but that it can also be rewarding.  

For four years as a state competitor for the Tomahawk High School swim team, Swenty accomplished what some athletes only dream of. She served as captain of the swim team for three years representing her team as a leader. Her junior year Swenty was honored as an All-American. Nomination for All-American is based on athletes' academic, athletic, and community involvement.

She Planned on College, But Planned on Swimming Later
Without regard to her success as a high school competitive swimmer, Swenty didn't plan on swimming at River Falls until she was preparing to move to campus. "When I was packing up my stuff, I said, I might as well try it," remembers Swenty. "You can only [swim] for so long."  

Swenty is taking advantage of the time she has at River Falls. According to Swenty, swimming allows her to compete against herself both mentally and physically while contributing to team goals.   

Before Swenty competes in the sprint freestyles and backstroke, she partakes in a routine before every competition. "I go off by myself and think about my race, every turn and stroke," shares Swenty. "I figure out what I want my splits to be and my finishing time."

A Successful Student-Athlete
She enjoyed receiving the WIAC Scholastic Honor Roll award last season for her ability to maintain her G.P.A. throughout the 2005-06 swim season. Swenty feels she has just enough time to relax despite her involvement on campus as a student, athlete and club member.

With five "wild cards" to use throughout the swim season and a sense of organization, Swenty manages to accomplish what is required of an active student and a busy student-athlete. She says that Henderson understands the Falcon swimmers' priorities. The "wild cards" are given to each member of the swimming and diving team as a free pass to miss a practice at necessary times.

"It gets hard and frustrating at times," says Swenty of her responsibility to manage all of her commitments. As a dairy science major Swenty is a member of the Dairy Club, Pre-Vet Club, American Women in Agriculture organization and Sigma Alpha, a professional agriculture sorority.

Swenty knows that what she does now affects her future.

A Family Affair
Someday Swenty hopes to start a meat farm in Northeast Wisconsin.

Swenty's grandparents, Arnold and Lou Swenty, have their own meat farm in Coleman, Wis. They inspired Swenty to follow in their footsteps. "We didn't buy any of our meat from the store," says Swenty about her youth.

Coaching sports and working with large animals, like dairy cows, as a vet are other aspirations Swenty sees in her future.

She Never Rests, With Interests Like These, She Doesn't Have the Time
"[I like] anything outdoors," says Swenty who interests go beyond hunting, waterskiing, and snowmobiling.  

Dancing since she was in kindergarten, Swenty has learned the moves to many styles of dance including the salsa, the cha cha, ball room dancing and lyrical. When it comes to dance Swenty says, "I want to learn everything." She isn't taking any lessons at the moment, but Swenty hopes to get back into dance soon.

Swenty's other interests include adventurous activities like sky diving and traveling.

"I want to be able to see different cultures," she states. Swenty, who has been to Germany and Mexico, wants her next expedition to be to the African jungles. She feels that experiencing the tribes and how they live would be a supreme opportunity.

Promoting Swimming
Swenty encourages those people who want to become involved with swimming on campus to try it. She says that all ability levels are welcomed by the team even if the reason for joining is just to stay in shape.

"The coach will work with you," she emphasizes.

Improving social skills and making new friends and memories are other reasons Swenty thinks people may want to try swimming.

At the very least, going to a Falcon swim meet would be a start. Swenty believes that too many people do not know that River Falls has a swim team.