Courtney Kalisz is one of three who will be inducted into the Maryland Swimming Hall of Fame on Oct. 24.
Kalisz had a longstanding run of excellence at the North Baltimore Aquatic Club, setting 31 Maryland state records and breaking a whopping 12 national age-group records.
Kalisz’ efforts qualified her for the 2004 Olympic Trials when she was just 14-years-old. Along with 13 other NBAC swimmers including none other than Michael Phelps, Kalisz headed to the trials and competed successfully.
In the 200m fly, Kalisz finished 11th overall in the semi-finals, just out of a finals position. She was 32nd in the 400m IM and 30th in the 200m backstroke as well, all very impressive feats for such a young athlete.
In both 2004 and 2005 she was named to the National Junior Team. Kalisz excelled in 2005 where she was fifth in the 200m fly at the 2005 World Championship Trials. At the 2005 U.S Open Kalisz took home gold in the 400m IM prior to winning the 200m fly at the 2006 Spring Nationals.
Kalisz was selected to the 2006 Junior Pan Pacs Team. There, she earned a silver in the 200m fly and a bronze in the 400m IM.
In 2007, Kalisz entered her first major senior international competition, taking home the silver medal in the 200m fly at the Pan Am Games.
After graduating high school at Fallston High, Kalisz competed at the Olympic Trials once again reaching the semi-final round in the 200m butterfly with an 11th place finish.
After trials, her career turned towards competing collegiately, and she signed with the USC Trojans. There, Kalisz competed successfully for a while before ultimately succumbing to a serious ankle injury with disallowed her from swimming.
Along with Kalisz, James Pusateri, John Ferrari, and Russell Williams will be inducted into the Maryland Swimming Hall of Fame. The three men however will be inducted as honor contributors.
The late Pusateri was the chair of Maryland Siwmming Inc. and the Officials Committee of Maryland Swimming. Pusateri had a long history of officiating swimming.
Ferrari was Maryland Swimming’s officials chair and general chair. Williams co-founded the Baltimore City Swim Club, bringing swimming lessons to the African-American community in Baltimore and the Baltimore area.
