Nadiyah Schellenger '25 Recruiting Profile

I have wanted to swim for college since watching the 2016 Olympics and have loved being in the water for as long as I can remember. I recall the first swim team I joined in California on base, and the celebration my mom had when I finally made the team at 7 years old. I told my mom then that I would give up all of the other extracurricular sports I was in at the time such as dance, basketball, and the camps if she would sign me up for private lessons so I could learn the learn how to swim butterfly while my dad was stationed at Camp Pendleton. So, I worked 3 to 4 times a week for a few months gaining strength and technique on each stroke, while begging for the  instructors to please teach me the butterfly. The reward for doing a technique correctly for my freestyle was teaching me the butterfly, and every time I listened well to an instructor at 8 years old then I was taught another step of the fly. My mom was there, and I still have the video of the day when I first learned how to swim the butterfly in September 2016. My passion for the butterfly even continued onto the next team of when my dad received orders to North Carolina and I would stay past practice so I could perfect my butterfly stroke technique.

Looking back, that butterfly was so bad compared to where I am today, but I have worked hard on every swim team to perfect my stroke and become faster. One thing is for sure: if I have a goal in mind, I will work hard to achieve it. As a military kid, the one thing that has helped me adapt to multiple moves across the United States was the constant of having a swim team nearby. Then learning from different coaches has allowed me to hone in on my strokes, character, and speed. Plus, I like receiving constructive criticism in sports and academics because I want to improve, whether swimming, running, or writing.

Lastly, I am slightly different from others because my parents are Marine Corps veterans. They have never pushed me to do a sport, but they fully support me in my dreams, and I have seen the sacrifices they have made for me to go to 17.5 to 20 hours of sports practice. My mother taught me the importance of working hard and continually setting goals. My coaches describe me as tenacious, a team player, teachable, and motivated.

I look forward to hearing from you so that you can learn more about me and my dreams.