While most Northwestern students were going to football games and beginning their weekends early last quarter, Sara Petric was working.
Not only working at a high school 45 minutes outside Evanston teaching English, but also on campus to prepare for her duties as captain of the swim team.
Now with less than two quarters left of school and one last dual meet, Petric is trying to savor the final moments of her swim career, which has been integral to her experience at NU.
“The best part has been the friendships I’ve made and learning how to interact with different personalities,” Petric said.
Petric is one of four NU seniors who will be competing in their final home meet tonight against Iowa. Michelle Oeser, Amy Mueller and Katie Paglini will join Petric as part of Senior Night.
The performances of these four will be missed next year, as they have all worked their way into NU’s swimming record books.
Oeser has the fourth-fastest time in the 50-yard freestyle and is sixth in the 100 freestyle. Mueller swam the tenth-fastest times in the 1650, 1000 and 500 freestyle races. Paglini has the fourth-fastest time in the 200-backstroke and the seventh-fastest in the 200 individual medley. And Petric’s leadership and her spot in the 200 IM relay will be hard to replace.
Several of the seniors said this year’s team is the closest they have ever been a part of.
“It’s easy when I don’t have to make an effort to be with my friends,” said Mueller, who is finishing her final credit needed to earn a degree in politcal science and legal studies (with a minor in business institutions).
“I love when we go to the airport in our team sweats and people come up and ask what you do, why you are all dressed the same.”
After the season, Mueller said she plans to interview for a finance job, Teach for America or the Peace Corps. She also has plans to travel and possibly learn some languages, in addition to the Chinese she learned at NU.
The team’s different backgrounds have given the group many stories to inspire their teammates.
Mueller did not even know if she wanted to swim all four years after disliking her experience freshman year. NU coach Jimmy Tierney expressed discontent with Mueller’s lack of effort, and that propelled her to try harder to prove she could compete at the collegiate level. With that, her love for swimming returned.
Oeser, who swims the sprint freestyle and is part of several of the Wildcats’ relays, has only been at NU for three years after transferring from Brown.
“When I got here the team supported me immediately,” Oeser said.
Friendship blossomed and now Oeser and her senior teammates share an off-campus apartment together. Oeser, a biology major, is undecided on her plans for the future, but said she wishes to do volunteer work in public health next year.
The unifying factor in all four seniors’ positive experience this season has been Tierney’s humor and personability.
“He is so fun this year,” Petric said, agreeing with teammates that Tierney has helped shape their experience at NU for the better.
Looking back on her four years, Petric feels bittersweet about leaving NU and competitive swimming behind.
“We’ll never get that feeling back, being part of competitive team,” she said.
Reach Brian Regan at [email protected].
