Pioneer swimmer Samantha Corea swam into the history books March 22, placing seventh in the 200 backstroke at the NCAA National Championships and becoming the highest-placing female swimmer in DU history.
From Vancouver, British Columbia, Corea began competitively swimming when she was eight years old. Now as a junior, Corea has been fulfilling her childhood goal to swim at a collegiate level.
“Swimming in college had always seemed like the next step when it came to furthering my swimming career. In high school, I swam with the varsity team in my hometown and loved the team atmosphere. I knew the college experience was something I wanted,” said Corea.
Growing up in Canada, Corea swam for the Vancouver Pacific Dolphins, a subdivision of the University of British Columbia’s swim team, and her high school’s varsity team as well.
When deciding where to continue her swimming career, the team, coaches and DU’s campus helped Corea make her decision.
“I chose DU because I felt the team had such a great dynamic to it,” Corea said. “I got a really good vibe from the team. I also chose DU because I heard great things about the program from former DU swimmers. Choosing a school away from home also provided me with a chance to be independent. The campus is beautiful so that didn’t hurt either,” Corea said.
Backstroke, Corea’s favorite event, is what Corea placed seventh in at the National Championships. With a time of 1:52.81 in the 200 backstroke, Corea swam against Olympians and received All-American honors for her time.
“Honestly, moments after my race when I was standing on the podium, I did not feel a satisfying sense of accomplishment,” said Corea. “My goal coming into the meet was to get a best time in the 200 back. To not achieve my goal was disappointing. In retrospect, I am very pleased with the way I swam. To be racing girls who are Olympians and to be within mere seconds of them is an accomplishment in itself,” Corea said.
Named All-American by the College Swimming Coaches Association of America, Corea is the second woman in DU history to receive this honor. In addition, Corea was also named the Summit League Swimmer of the Year.
Reflecting on her past three seasons with Denver, Corea has loved her experience and is already looking forward to her final season as a senior.
“To be a part of a program that is getting better is an exciting thing. It makes you feel good that one day the program will be in a better place than when you left it. Next year, I would like to make it to NCAA’s again and see if I can place higher than I did this year,” said Corea.
Aside from swimming, Corea is pursuing majors in English and art, and hopes to pursue a career in art restoration and conservation.
“My dream would be to be able to help conserve substantial works of art. I’m also interested in fashion photography,” said Corea.
Finishing the 2013-2014 season on a high note, Corea is content with her performance and is thankful for the support she has received from her teammates, coaches, friends and family.
“Swimming is a huge commitment. It requires so many hours of dedication. While it takes away time that could be spent otherwise on my art or social life, it has provided me with chances to travel all over the world and see some amazing places. I see this as a pretty fair trade off. I also love the team here. The men and women’s teams are very close, which is not always the case with other teams. It is great to have a huge group of people to race with everyday at practice,” said Corea.
With her name now in the record books, Corea’s name will remain with the University for years to come.
“I love to swim because I love to race,” added Corea. “It’s great to win, but it’s even better to feel as if you have given it your all.”
