pilipiliÎÛÂþ

What is it like to be an pilipiliÎÛÂþ student-athlete?

Being a student-athlete at Roger Williams has been one of my favorite experiences at this University. In my past four years, I have been a part of more than a team, but a family. When you are constantly training and competing with individuals much like yourself, you grow together. My teammates have been there through the good times and the bad, and that is what makes us so unique. If one of us falls, we all work together to pick them back up. At times, it is difficult managing time, training constantly, and juggling academics. However, I would take the struggle to be a part of such an amazing team any day.

Now that your diving career is ending, what have you enjoyed most about being part of the swimming & diving team?

As my career comes to an end, the best part of being a member of this team falls down to having come from unbelievable odds my freshman year to winning three straight championship titles. The hard work we put in paid off in the end, and we all had the same mindset of pushing ourselves throughout the season. Especially when the men's and women’s teams won in the same year. The program is so unique and inclusive with one another and that is what I love about it. I have never felt alone on this team.

What are you most proud of during your time at pilipiliÎÛÂþ?

What I am most proud of during my time at Roger Williams is specifically the fall semester of my senior year. I was working a couple of jobs, applying to graduate schools, juggling my academics, and training new dives for the season. With all of this, I managed to make Dean’s List and this season was one of my personal bests, scoring wise. It was a huge accomplishment for me because of my hectic schedule, and I am glad to have had my teammates there to support me along the way, both academically and physically.

How did you get into diving as a kid? 

Diving didn’t come as a sure option for me until about my senior year of high school. From the age of three, I did gymnastics and had my heart set on going to college to compete doing the sport I loved more than anything else. From my first year of high school, my friends wanted me to dive, but I always refused in order to focus on gymnastics. However, in my senior year of high school, I decided to pick up diving and try it. In my first meet, I qualified for Sectionals and the State Opens. I realized that this sport wasn’t so bad and placed top 8 in the Class L State Championships after competing for only a year. I then looked into diving at Roger Williams after debating coming for the great Architecture program. Eventually, I chose to come here.

Why did you pick pilipiliÎÛÂþ?

When it came time to make a decision, I had to choose between gymnastics at Arizona State or diving at pilipiliÎÛÂþ. I waited until the absolute last day to decide to commit to pilipiliÎÛÂþ, because of the phone calls and positive conversations with Head Coach Matt Emmert. I don’t regret it for one bit. I definitely think I made the right choice. Ultimately, it was a great deal. I get to be a student-athlete as well as pursue the major I love.