On Campus: Denison Junior David Curtis

By Brian Savard

SELINSGROVE, Pennsylvania, September 12. DENISON junior David Curtis speaks as the On Campus series continues.

Curtis, who calls Ann Arbor, Mich., his hometown, is the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division III defending champion in the 200 freestyle, where he won in a 1:38.03 time. Kenyon's Eric Dunn touched out Curtis in the 500 freestyle, where Curtis settled for a silver-medal time of 4:25.74. Curtis also swam the 100 freestyle in 45.93 which earned him an 18th-place finish.

Denison utilized his talents on four relays. He swam the leadoff leg for the third-place 200 freestyle relay in 20.96, the anchor leg for the fifth-place 200 medley relay (20.24), the leadoff leg for the first-place 800 freestyle relay (1:39.41) and the leadoff leg for the first-place 800 freestyle relay (45.57).

Curtis currently has a double major in studio art and economics.

What is your favorite movie?
The Big Lebowski

What one song psyches you up the most before a race?
"Rockin' Robin" by Bobby Day

What is your GPA?
3.24

Collegiate awards won (both academic and athletic)?
MVP sophomore year
Academic Most Improved Award sophomore year
200 FR National Title (2007)

Where do you see yourself five years from now?
I want to continue studying painting, possibly outside of the U.S.

What made you choose the college that you attend?
I'm still not entirely sure what I want to do with my life after college, so it was important to me to find a place where I could study a lot of different things without feeling like I had to narrow my education down to one field. Once I decided on going to a liberal arts college, I knew I wanted to go to the school that had a great swimming program, a fun team and red for the school color. The decision was easy.

At what point in your swimming career did you realize your talent as an elite swimmer?
I would say my sophomore year of high school was when I realized that I had potential as a good swimmer. I dropped a lot of time that year, and it was the first year that I made state cuts in my events. After that year, I knew I was capable of going fast.

What are your goals for the 2007-08 season?
Be able to bench as much as Lowell "Lothar" Byers
Win a national championship

What advice would you give to a high school swimmer with your talent looking at colleges?
Go to a school that you know will challenge you and where you feel the most comfortable. Try to get to know the team as well as you can, and most importantly, make sure the cafeteria food is up to your standards.

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