This week I had the pleasure to sit down with one of our athletes of the week, freshman Morgan Stephenson, from the swim team.
I opened by asking broadly how the season’s been, to which she said, “It’s definitely been really good. It was challenging at first, getting used to college, but we have a really great coach, and he was able to help us make the transition… I definitely see myself improving this season and swimming new events.”
“It’s really great,” said Stephenson when asked about the state of the team this year. “The community is really awesome. The upperclassmen do a really good job at welcoming the freshmen… There’s definitely a lot of really good swimmers on there that have pushed me to be the best that I can be.”
I followed up by asking her about anybody she’d like to shout out from the team. Stephenson responded, saying, “I’d definitely say Joy [Killingsworth]. She’s kind of like my mentor. She’s just done a great job of encouraging me in and out of the pool. She’s someone who’s kind of under the radar, but she’s really good and does great with the freshmen.”
Next, I asked her what she thinks earned her the title of athlete of the week and what that means to her, to which she said, “I would just say, a lot of hard work in the pool. I definitely don’t know if I’m deserving of ‘athlete of the week,’ but I feel very appreciative to be able to represent the swim team. I think for me, it just means being able to be a good representative of the swim team and showing not just talent, but also dedication and hard work.”
Following that, I asked about her personal goals, as well as any team goals. Stephenson answered, “Personal goals: at conference, I’d like to place decently high in the 4IM and drop some time in other events. Team goals: I’d like to see us place high at conference as a team.”
Finally, I asked if she had anything she’d want to tell the rest of the Asbury student body. Stephenson replied, “It’s been a great swim season. They should come out and support the team. It’s definitely really fun and it’s a great community to get to know.”
Photo courtesy of AU Athletics.
