Gabriel Bangoura '23 Recruiting Profile

My name is Gabriel Bangoura.  I was born in Minneapolis, lived in Charlotte, NC where I started competitive swimming  with the club Team Charlotte for five years.  In Minnesota, I joined the Edina Swim Club in my freshman year.  I will graduate from St Paul Academy and Summit in St. Paul, MN in June 2023.  My heritage is west African, Spanish and Czech.  Due to my diverse family background and living in Charlotte and Minnesota, this has shaped my perspectives on people, culture and politics.  I have a natural curiosity for people and cultures and I have an open mind.  

My aspirations in college are to pursue a BS in electrical engineering and a minor in chemistry.  My love for science shows up in the pool with my precision when it comes to technique and work outs.  I have been a competitive swimmer since age 12, however, I enjoy the team aspect of high school swim.  My junior year, I was rookie of the year and had my best times in the high school swim team and I attribute that to the team environment that I foster.  As senior captain, I lead with my heart and require accountability from my team mates. I enjoy creating unique work outs for the pool and dry land in order to have variety and improve all strokes. I bring a scientific approach to my workouts that helps when mentoring on technique. 

Swimming is an integral part of who I am.  It reflects life and the sport drives me to succeed. I enjoy the challenge and the journey.   I bring the continuous improvement mindset and a strong work ethic to all aspects of my life.  I have a calm, disciplined approach to swim and academics and I have the ability to motivate and be a team player.  I know how to balance my sport and my academics, as well as finding time to be with my family, friends and serve my community through volunteer work.  As a minority in the sport, I believe in sharing my talent with others.  I volunteered at Minneapolis Parks as a summer swim instructor.  Most recently, I was asked to be speaker on a swim panel for a new state of the art swim facility, V3 opening in north Minneapolis.  Volunteering and teaching uplifts me as well as the people I serve.  

In addition, I am a person with integrity, compassion, curiosity to learn and a strong  moral compass.  I will be a person who enters your campus and contributes. Whether it be in the pool or the classroom, I will bring my whole self to your campus and contribute my talent and skills to improve campus life.