Julian Mininsohn
Staff Writer
Sophomore swim team member Madeline Lovrensky had a record setting season, capturing the Southern California Intercollegiate Athletic Conference title for the 100 and 200-yard backstroke for the second year in a row, giving her four individual conference titles. She has not been beaten in a SCIAC event in her two years at La Verne.
From March 20 to March 23 Lovrensky represented La Verne at the NCAA Division III Swimming and Diving Championships in Shenandoah, Texas.
While in Texas she set a school record in the 50-yard freestyle and currently holds the school and conference record for the 100-yard backstroke.
Her sixth place finish in the 100-yard backstroke allowed her to earn All-America honors, La Verne’s first swimming and diving All-American in seven years.
Lovrensky also set school and conference records for her outstanding performance in the 200-yard backstroke.
“Physically I knew I was ready,” Lovrensky said. “Mentally I was overwhelmed but once I got in the water, I knew I was in my element.”
Lovrensky grew up in Rancho Cucamonga and began swimming her freshman year at Alta Loma High School. She used swimming as way to keep in shape for water polo.
Since joining the team at La Verne, swimming has become her first love. However, her reasons for swimming go beyond the surface.
“It definitely adds to my character,” Lovrensky said. “It helps with my school work and it makes me feel better about myself.”
Lovrensky is a biology major and an aspiring reconstructive surgeon who wants to travel the world to help burn victims. At the NCAA championships she was honored as a finalist for the Elite 89 award.
The Elite 89 award is presented to the student-athlete with the highest cumulative grade-point average participating at the finals site for each of the NCAA championships.
“She is really good academically,” teammate Jarrett Peterson said. “In class she shows that perseverance to get stuff done. She is always going to labs, doing homework, and studying for tests. She is always trying to better herself.”
In her free time Lovrenksy likes to hang out with her swim teammates and go to the beach. As well as leaving an impression in the record books, Lovrensky has left an impression on others as well.
“She always strives to be the best,” former teammate and assistant coach Erin Morten said. “It has really helped me to become the best coach I can be.”
Olympic trials have been a topic of conversation between Lovrensky and head coach Pat Skehan.
“I get the chills talking about it,” Lovrensky said. “It is definitely my goal. I trust Pat and I know she could get me there.”
“I don’t think she has any limits,” Skehan said. “She has improved by huge amounts every year.”
Next year, Lovrensky looks to stay undefeated in conference and break as many records as possible.
“She’s a force to be reckoned with athletically,” Skehan said. “She is good because she is so consistent and she trains and works hard every day. She is really focused in practice and does everything she needs to do.”
Julian Mininsohn can be reached at julian.mininsohn@laverne.edu.
