Geneva, Ohio----Eight Wingate University seniors are participating in the 2020 NCAA Division II swimming and diving championships Wednesday through Saturday. The 2020 NCAA Division II swimming and diving championships will be hosted by Lake Erie College and the Greater Cleveland Sports Commission at the SPIRE Institute in Geneva (NCAA live results and live video).

The Wingate Athletic Communications office asked the eight student-athletes to share their thoughts about the NCAA Division II national championship meet, their time at Wingate, their journey to the school and how the University prepared them for life post-college.

Mathilde Cros
Pont de L'arn, France
 
This NCAA championship has a special feeling for me. I've missed the cut for the past three years by nothing. But I kept working harder, I learned and grew up a lot and I am proud and honored to be part of this NCAA team. I am even more proud to share this experience with my teammates and more specifically, Charlotte and Leticia, who have always been there for me and always helped to get me through everything. As a team, we train all year long for this meet. The team has always been able to pull something incredible at nationals, so I can't wait to start and show what we can do!

I have so many lifelong memories with this team, I wouldn't be able to count them or only name one. The team spirit and lifelong friends will always have a special place in my heart. WU Swim is not just a team, but a big family. I have found incredible friends, best friends, brothers and sisters who will be part of my life forever. This is what makes this team so special.

I'll also never forget the lessons I've learned from Kirk, Kevin and this team. Kirk teaches us so many important things not only about being an athlete, but about life in general. I'll always be thankful for what he taught me and the way he helped me to grow. There's a special talk with Kirk from the beginning of this season I'll never forget. It impacted me not only as an athlete, but also as a person. This talk impacted how much I've changed and grown this year. Kirk helps us to grow and everything he's been teaching us for four years makes sense at the end of the journey. It makes you realize how lucky you've been to learn from a person like him and to be part of this team.

I came to the US to be able to study and swim at the same time. In Europe, I would not have been able to do both at the same time and I would have to quit swimming to pursue my academics. When I first talked with Kirk, I directly had a good feeling about the team and the values he carries through it. His team always had incredible results. The team finished second at nationals the year I committed and I really wanted to be part of it.

Wingate doesn't only help you to evolve as a student and an athlete, but as a person in general. I've grown up and changed a lot during the past four years. I've learned life lessons that will impact me for the rest of my life. Being a student-athlete prepares you even more as it teaches you to work hard regardless of your feeling or the situation.

I got accepted to the Doctor of Physical Therapy program at Wingate and I am glad to have the chance to pursue my journey here. I am ready and excited for the next chapter. But first, it's time for us to write an important and incredible page at nationals! WU WHAT? WU SWIM!

Markus Furst
Jönköping, Sweden
 
It's always an honor to represent Wingate University, especially at the biggest meet of the year, NCAA nationals. We have the third-biggest team on the men's side that qualified…out of all the Division II schools in the nation. This is a huge achievement! In terms of myself, I have never been in better shape, so this year…the guys and I will write history! 
 
There's not a limit to the memories I have at a Wingate...but I have a clear favorite one. It's from when we raced Gardner-Webb earlier this semester. We were down by 18 points halfway through the meet, but ended up working our way back into the meet and finally winning by eight points in the end. It was only a dual meet with no significant value, but the energy and excitement that we put into this meet was amazing. It felt like we were World Champions. I'll never forget that feeling.
 
One of my coaches from back home actually swam at Wingate…Marcelo Machado. He's the one who helped me look into Wingate and spoke highly of Coach Sanocki. This fact, together with other connections I had at Wingate made the final decision for me. Moving to Wingate is the best decision I've ever made! I'll always remember the time and the relationships that I've built here.
 
The journey here at Wingate has been incredible. The growth I've made as an individual is astonishing and I will be forever grateful to Wingate for helping me with this. Thanks to my friends, teammates, professors and coaches, I'm ready to take on anything in life and I know it will be great. 
 
Charlotte Knippenberg
Atlanta, Ga.
 
NCAAs are by far my favorite meet of the year. I've been fortunate to qualify every year since I started in 2017. This year is particularly poignant; however, because it's the last time I'll ever wear my Wingate cap in competition. There is something special about representing your school at the national level. It is truly exciting to compete against the best people in the nation and fight to win points for your team. I'm happy this year to share this experience with some of my best friends as we end our swimming careers and support the next generation of Wingate swimmers! As a team, we typically have some of our fastest swims at this meet. I have no doubt that trend will continue this year. I look forward to taking on this week and seeing what we will accomplish!
 
My introduction to WU Swim was during my recruiting trip in September, 2015. My main 'take- away' from the weekend was that the swimmers didn't refer to themselves as a team, but as a family. I heard this phrase repeated so many times over the weekend that it really sunk in. I could see it in every interaction between team members.
 
And I felt it later, in August, when I arrived on campus to begin my four years as a student-athlete. This team is truly a family, and I have so many fond memories with, and of, my teammates that I will cherish for the rest of my life. From training in the pool to living together to visiting each other's homes in the off-season to travel meets and training trips, this team does all of life together.
 
Of course, some of my favorite memories include the many podium finishes at conference and NCAAs, but I will also cherish our unique team traditions. Our training trips over Christmas break involve some of the hardest training we do all year, but also include team activities and fun competitions designed to make the hard work more fun. One of Coach Sanocki's favorite phrases is 'having fun in the pursuit of excellence.' Our team embodies this mantra and I will always remember this.
 
I first learned about Wingate during my junior year of high school. What initially appealed to me was the combination of a nursing program and a D2 swim team. I wanted to go to nursing school, while continuing my swimming career…and Wingate was one of several schools that had both options available. I heard more about the school when I began working at Chick-fil-A because my manager's son was playing football at WU. After I scheduled a trip to visit the school, a friend from high school committed to swim at Wingate, so Wingate was a school that kept resurfacing in my searches. Although I ended up majoring in psychology instead of following the pre-nursing track, I am very glad I chose Wingate. I can't imagine my life without the people and experiences that I've had at Wingate.

I have learned so many life lessons in my four years at Wingate. I have grown in ways I didn't expect and have overcome challenges that I know have helped to prepare me for whatever lies ahead. My classes and teachers have challenged me academically. Swimming has continued to be a challenging and growth-oriented experience, instilling core values that will assist me in graduate school and the workforce thereafter.
 
I certainly owe a huge debt of gratitude to the swim coaching staff. Kirk Sanocki values our growth as young adults and hopes to see us implement the lessons we have learned from the sport in our personal and professional lives. Every lesson learned from the rigors of swimming always has a bigger take-away…and can be used and applied to our lives long after we have hung up our cap and goggles. I feel confident that my experiences in the classroom, the pool and campus life in general have prepared me well for graduate work at UNCC and all else that lies ahead.
 
Abby Kosic
West Chester, Pa.
 
It's crazy for me to think it is my final year competing at NCAAs. I've been so honored to be a part of this nationals' team for four years. I'm as excited as ever to give it one last go-around with the best teammates. Some of my favorite memories being on WU Swim have come from this meet.
I will always remember being a member of the winning NCAA 800 Freestyle Relay like it was yesterday…and the wholesome support and love from everyone on this team. I found Wingate through swimming…and four years ago I wouldn't have predicted what this University has provided me in education and in memories.
 
Wingate taught me how to trust myself as a person and in my abilities, which has set me up to be more confident in my goals: to pursue post-graduate education. I will always be thankful for the friendships and wisdom Wingate University and Wingate Swimming has provided me. 
 
Nazarii Kosylo
Sniatyn, Ukraine
 
For me, the NCAA championship meet is like a small Olympics. I have been preparing for these competitions all year long and I am looking forward to the start. I love this atmosphere and emotions…because here are the strongest swimmers.
 
I will never forget my Senior Day, especially when we were running through the tunnel. This was one of my best days.
 
I have talked to many coaches…most of all…I remembered my conversation with Coach Sanocki and his style of communication and motivation. This is exactly what is needed for my swimming career.
 
Wingate gave me an education. In my opinion, this is the most important aspect. I also met people who became a second family.
 
Corinne Mahoney
Bayville, N.J.
 
In my search for schools, I took a few things into consideration…most notably, academics and a good swimming program. I would've never thought that I'd find myself at a small NCAA Division II school in North Carolina, but Wingate stood out to me amongst all having a really successful history in swimming.
 
Here I am four years later and I wouldn't trade those years for an experience anywhere else. I've had a lot of great memories on this team, but the most important of them all is the friends that I've made from all over the country and the world in my years. These friends I know will always have a place in my heart. This team is a second family that knows how to be there for each other whether it's in the pool or out.
 
I'm grateful to have been part of such a hard working team that knows no limits. I'm excited to be given this opportunity to go to NCAAs and to finish my swimming career on a strong note with my fellow seniors and the rest of WU Swim. We've all worked really hard in our four years and I couldn't think of a better way to end it. I'm so thankful for all the lessons that I've learned at Wingate. Swimming is such a demanding sport in which one can learn a lot about self-discipline and having no choice but to put work in if you want to see results. For this fact and many more, Wingate has prepared me for my next steps in life.
 
Leticia Odorici
Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
 
This is my third and last NCAAs. Every time is a different experience, but this time is more special. I'm beyond excited to have the opportunity to finish my season and my swimming career going to my last national meet. I am ready to finish it strong alongside my girls and to watch the Bulldogs kill it! 
 
One of my favorite Wingate Swimming memories is from the Bluegrass Mountain Conference meet my freshmen year. I know that everyone says that conference is different, but it is definitely something else! The atmosphere is amazing! The first team cheer gave me goose bumps…and every time someone raced, we would cheer as loud as possible. I felt so confident and so supported by my teammates that it made an indescribable memory! Not to mention all the support and lessons from the coaches. Everyone knows how Kirk can be passionate and emotional, but the truth is that he is just thinking about what is best for us. He knows that we can do better than we think…and I'm thankful for that! Also, a special thank you for coach Kevin for always being there for us no matter what, through the ups and downs. I'm thankful for all my WU Swim memories and for the people with whom I've shared them!
 
I was impressed with the women's team for always being ranked as one of the best teams in the nation in Division II. I heard about Wingate through one of the alumni, Gus Chagas. He told me about the team and about Kirk and that made my decision to commit easier. I was sure that Wingate was a good fit for me and I couldn't be happier. 
 
I knew that studying abroad would help me grow as person, but I've never thought that I would change so much. I've learned how to overcome the obstacles, how to rely on myself and how to pursue my dreams. I will always be thankful for everything I've learned from my professors, my coaches, my teammates and my classmates at Wingate. I am more than ready for my next chapter of my life, but I will never forget my Bulldog family. 
 
Giacomo Viazzo
Lonato del Gardo, Italy
 
Despite being my third trip to Nationals, it's always incredibly exciting to qualify for and participate in such a competitive meet. Everyone is going to be racing their hearts out and the WU SWIM team and I will be ready to take them on! This year, in particular, feels special since it's my last year of eligibility and the second place from last year didn't fully satisfy me or Kirk. I never felt more prepared to face this challenge thanks to hard practices and the experience from the previous years; on top of that, I was able to qualify in December and focus my preparation specifically for this meet. The sky is the limit...
 
There are so many indelible memories that my experience here in Wingate left me it's hard to pick. There are so many moments of everyday life happiness, so many meets, so many practices…I think I have two really specific moments I will remember forever: the team energy at some dual meets and then my first Bluegrass Conference title last year.
 
My favorite dual meets would definitely be Queens and Gardner-Webb this year. In the first one, despite the loss, the energy flowing within the team was the best I've ever experienced; while in the second one, we were down 12 points at the halfway break and we managed to come back, going 1-2 in the last relay, at which point I thought the pool was going to explode from how much we screamed and jumped. The adrenaline I got from those moments is unparalleled and probably one of the best feelings in the world.
 
As far as my first BMC title is concerned, I remember every moment of it: the crowd cheering, my teammates pushing me and screaming in my face during the walk before the race, me looking left at the last turn to see how far in front I was and, finally, stepping on the podium in front of my team. It's all so clear it feels like yesterday.
 
I heard about the possibility of being a student-athlete in the US from my former teammate Andrea, who was studying at Drury University. I started searching right away, as this was for me a unique opportunity to carry on my sport and my studies. Realizing my best targets would be D2 schools, I looked for the best compromise between athletics and academics, as my studies have always been the top priority for me. Eventually, that best compromise happened to be Wingate, and I couldn't be happier with my decision. Wingate largely exceeded my expectation and it became my home and my family.
 
These four years of college completely changed me as a person. I matured beyond my expectations thanks to amazing friends, competent professors and incredible coaching staff. If my growth as a swimmer is measured by the improvement in my times and my professional approach to practices and meets, my growth as a person is reflected by the level of the people I surround myself with, my role in the team. All my friends are the best I had and the personal relationships I have with them are bonds that will last forever.
 
Lastly, my growth as a student is shown in the quality of the research work I did with Dr. Perry (which was nationally recognized at the Joint Mathematical Meeting in Denver last January) and the fact I was able to work as a TA for the department, more than in my grades by themselves.
 
All these factors combined are the reason why I feel prepared to face the challenges of life. Wingate gave me opportunities (friends, facilities, classes, research grants, etc.) to prepare for anything. Thanks to that, I can safely say I can take on what life puts in front of me with confidence and a positive attitude which is the trademark of this team.
 
WINGATE UNIVERSITY
 
A comprehensive, independent and growing university, Wingate serves more than 3,600 students in North Carolina. Founded in 1896, the University offers 37 undergraduate majors as well as graduate and professional programs. Wingate is home to the Cannon College of Arts and Sciences, the Levine College of Health Sciences, the Byrum School of Business, the Thayer School of Education and the School of Sport Sciences. Wingate blends in-class exploration with out-of-class application to deliver an uncommon and life-changing educational experience.
 
In addition to a robust intramural athletics program, Wingate student athletes compete in 22 NCAA Division II sports. The University has won the South Atlantic Conference Echols Athletic Excellence Award for the past 13 years. Wingate is first in the 2000s among NCAA Division II and North Carolina's colleges and universities with 115 CoSIDA Academic All-America® selections. Wingate is tops among all SAC schools with 124 lifetime Academic All-America® honorees. For more information on WU athletics, go to www.wingatebulldogs.com. Current news and videos can be found at www.wingate.edu.