While competing on the final day of the Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (WIAC) Championships held in Brown Deer, Wisconsin, University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire freshman Samantha Senczyszyn cranked out a new NCAA Division III record.
After having already collected wins in the women’s 200 IM (2:01.82) and 100 breaststroke (1:00.91) individual events at the meet, Senczyszyn threw down a monster 2:12.20 to take the victory in the women’s 200 breaststroke.
That time hacked over half of a second off of the previous DIII record of 2:12.83 held by Lindsay Payne from Williams since 2006, which itself was just surpassed by Amherst senior Emily Hyde at the NESCAC Championships just a week ago. As such, Senczyszyn now holds the top time NCAA DIII and has secured an A cut.
Senczyszyn is proving her potential as a gigantic pickup for Eau Claire. The 6’1” former Wisconsin high school state champion was originally committed to the Arizona Wildcats, but wound up electing to stay closer to home and compete for the Blugolds.
She entered the 2015-season with a 200 breaststroke best time of 2:15.07, only to keep improving as the year progressed. Senczyszyn clocked 2:14.84 at December’s Rochester invite before dipping into the 2:12-range for the first time with her record-breaking swim.
Also at the WIAC Championships, Senczyszyn was instrumental in her team’s 200y and 400y freestyle relays, as well as the Blugolds’ 200y and 400y medley relays. For her efforts over the course of the WIAC Championships ,Senczyszyn was named “Swimmer of the Meet”.
NEWTOSWIMSWAM, I can tell you aren’t from Wisconsin. UW-EC has an excellent reputation in the state (and beyond) as a liberal arts school and they are investing in STEM majors and turning out some great graduates. It isn’t as large as UW-Madison and can provide a great education. Many Wisconsin students who want to stay in the state and stay closer to home with out the crazy that can be UW-Madison choose UW-EC. Also DI swimming might not be for everyone. DIII doesn’t mean slow, and often academics can and does come first. I am a UW-Madison alumnus (twice over) and although I love my school I have many friends and family members who have attended UW-EC and done exceptionally… Read more »
Thank you, WISCOSWIMMOM, for your clarification. I am not from WI and glad to learn UW-EC is a great school academically. Also you are absolutely right about D1 (or college swimming at any level for that matter) is not for everyone. Hope her choice works out for her, in terms of a good education and great college swimming experience.
Congrats to her. Someone please help me fully understand why a good D1-caliber swimmer like her would choose a D3 program. Money? unlikely, as there is no $ on paper for D3 athletes. Academics? Not sure. UW-EC vs, say, UW-Madison? Know very little about the former, but UW-Madison is one of the best public universities. Swimming? I bet her BR times would be faster than most, if not all, lady badgers. Fame? Records are made to be broken.