Mia Nappi '24 Recruiting Profile

Swimming has been a part of my life since I was eight years old, and I want to continue to let that part of me grow and be challenged throughout this next chapter in my life. Ever since my first 25 breastroke when my hands grabbed the touchpad one after another and the official raised her arm, a two-hand touch, a concept I had not yet grasped, I beamed with pride. In that moment I knew that was where I belonged, I belonged in the water.

Since then, swimming has taught me invaluable lessons in and out of the pool. Raised by the Seward Tsunami Swim club in the small town of Seward, Alaska, I was taught many life lessons like becoming a leader, managing my time, and the importance of a strong mental game. Now an athlete on Corvallis Aquatic Team, I continue to learn lessons and see my hard work pay off, as I recently acquired two Futures cuts in the 100 and 200 br. One of the biggest lessons swimming has taught me is that motivation gets you started, but discipline keeps you going. This discipline gets me up for early morning practices, pushes me to finish the sprint set when every muscle in my body burns, and keeps me going no matter how many times I see the same time I have been trying to beat on the scoreboard through my foggy goggles. This discipline has not only helped me in swimming but in school, weightlifting, and life in general.

Outside of the pool, I have always strived to do my best academically. When my small high school did not offer the challenging classes I wanted to take, I chose to do online school my sophomore year to take on a more rigorous workload. Now back in public school, I continue to take advanced classes to further my learning abilities. Along with working hard in school, I have also dedicated numerous hours to increasing my strength in the weight room. Introduced to lifting at a young age, I have grown up balancing my swimming with weight training and learning to target specific muscles to benefit certain strokes. 

While I have come a long way from the little girl who couldn't comprehend a two-hand touch, I believe I still have so much room to grow both as a student and swimmer, and I hope to find a college where I can flourish with not only a team but a family.