As college freshmen settle into new routines, the transition can be challenging, especially for an athlete switching from high school to collegiate athletics. For Laurie Antalis, a first-year swimmer, this transition has been no different. A biochemistry major outside of the pool and a sprint freestyle specialist in the pool, Antalis, as our “Tiger of the Week,” shared her experiences adjusting to collegiate swimming at the Division 3 level and balancing the demands of academics and athletics.
When asked about the biggest differences between high school and collegiate swimming, Laurie finds that the transition hasn’t been as jarring as expected. “The training was pretty similar. I would say the coaching is similar. I love my coach here at DePauw, Tracy Menzel,” Antalis explained. “Early on, she let us put good emphasis on our academics and have academics be our focus when we need to. But she is also really motivating, really intentful without our training, and I genuinely really love it.”
With the change in environment, Antalis has noticed her swimming has evolved as well. “I feel like with my swimming, I’ve gotten to work a bit more on technique,” she said. The more focused training has also contributed to her progress in the pool: “The training specifically has, like I said earlier, been more intentional. So I feel like what I’m doing is more specific towards my events, and I really enjoy that.”
The long collegiate swim season can often lead to burnout, and while Antalis acknowledges this challenge, she has learned how to stay motivated. “It can be challenging. Sometimes I just choose to focus day by day. What helps me avoid burnout is setting goals and working towards them,” she said.
Antalis credits her coach’s strategy of focusing on “daily wins” as a great way to stay motivated. “At the end of a practice, we’ll talk to our lane mates, and we’ll get to go over our daily wins. And those can be anything, and we go over the things that went well during practice, even if the practice wasn’t the best, you can always find little things. It helps make you feel good and feel motivated throughout the long season,” she said.
Despite the challenges, Antalis found joy in her successes, both in the pool and beyond. One of her highlights came during Conference when she competed in the 200 freestyle relay with her teammates. “I got to compete with upperclassmen and we got a medal. It felt fun to play a big role in that relay,” Antalis recalled. Beyond the physical triumphs, she appreciates the sense of camaraderie and support from her teammates, both in and out of the pool. “It was really good because when I came to college, obviously I didn’t know any people, and it was nice to have an automatic group of friends and team that was really supportive.”
With the season behind her, Antalis is focused on maintaining her fitness through the off-season. While swimming remains a central part of her training, she enjoys diversifying her workouts. “Occasionally I’ll go and swim, but I’ve really been focusing on enjoying other workouts in my off time,” she explained. “Right now, I’ve been lifting in the gym, running a lot, training for Little 5, and just general conditioning that will translate back into the pool. It’s nice to do different things that I enjoy, which helps me not get burnt out during the long season.”
For Antalis, her freshman year has been a whirlwind of growth, challenges and triumphs. Through it all, she remains focused on her goals—both in the pool and in the classroom—and looks forward to continuing her journey as a student-athlete at DePauw University.
