One of the biggest mistakes I see swimmers and families make is believing that NCAA Division I is the only successful path in college swimming. The reality? College swimming is much bigger than D1.

I didn’t just interview Sarah, I swam beside her. Early mornings, long sets, and the kind of exhaustion only swimmers understand… We lived it together. We met in college, shared a lane, and somehow made even the hardest sessions bearable (and sometimes even fun). So this isn’t just an interview. It’s the story of someone I trained with, grew with, and watched take a leap that completely shaped her life.