Why West Ottawa swimmer Kalyna Pyk chose to sprint in NCAA Division I ranks
PARK TWP. - Kalyna Pyk prepared herself for a big year.
After battling back from an injury as a junior, the West Ottawa swimmer has enjoyed a healthy and speedy senior season.
It got her plenty of notice from colleges.
Pyk committed to the University of Toledo, an NCAA Division I school in the Mid-American Conference on Thursday.
"This opportunity to swim at a collegiate level and a D-I level is something I have dreamed of being able to do," Pyk said. "I knew it was going to take a lot of hard work and dedication in and out of the pool. I have learned so much from all of my coaches and teammates along the way that has helped me prepare for this."
So why Toledo?
"I chose Toledo for several reasons. I knew that I wanted a somewhat smaller school with smaller class sizes with my Pre-PA track," Pyk said. "The team dynamic and the coaches were also a big part in my decision. The other swimmers were so welcoming and really took time to get to know me. (The coaches) have also always made me feel important and that I could bring value to the team."
It is something she has done for the past four years at West Ottawa as a state qualifier and leader.
More: West Ottawa's Kalyna Pyk starts swim season fast, one year removed from devastating injury
"My goal at Toledo is to step into a sprinter role," she said. "I want to continue to work on my 50 and 100 free. I want to be a top sprinter in the MAC conference and consistent scorer for the team."
Contact sports editor Dan D’Addona at Dan.D’Addona@hollandsentinel.com. Follow him on X, formerly known as Twitter @DanDAddona or Facebook @HollandSentinelSports.
This article originally appeared on The Holland Sentinel: Why West Ottawa swimmer Kalyna Pyk chose to sprint in NCAA Division I ranks
