Promising Seniors-To-Be 2007: Liz Koselka

PHOENIX, Arizona, June 7. LIZ Koselka, who swims for Dennis Hill at Ann Arbor Pioneer and Bob Bowman at Club Wolverine, is the next person featured in our Promising Seniors-To-Be series.

As of the June 4 National Interscholastic Swimming Coaches Association (NISCA) release of All-American candidates, Koselka clocked a 1:47.79 in the 200 free for the seventh-best time in the country. Meanwhile, she touched in 24.03 in the 50 free and 50.75 in the 100 free to make those applicant lists as well.

Koselka, who just completed her junior year, spoke with SwimmingWorldMagazine.com about her career to this point and her future.

Was there a watershed mark in your career that made it clear you had a gift for the sport and could achieve big things?
I don't know if there was any one breakthrough. I've just been moving along from states to sectionals to juniors, to seniors and as I go. I readjust my goals. There is no question that making the National Junior Team last summer was one of the most exciting things I've done so far.

What type of interaction do you have with your coach when it comes to training? What kind of input do you have?
My coaches work with some of the best in the world, so if they tell me to fix something or go faster, I will. When I have questions for any of my coaches, they hear me out and are really helpful.

What are your goals for your senior season?
In my high school season, I would like to help Pioneer win its eigth straight state championship and fourth national championship! I'd like to carry the momentum from the high school season to fast swims in the spring.

Who has made the biggest impact on your swimming career to this point?
Eric Namesnik: He showed me that I could do anything that I wanted to and got me to swim because I loved to. He was a great coach; he knew that there was more out there than age-group swimming. He'd been there and he made me want to get there. Swimming with him was so positive and exciting because he had high expectations for all of us. He was the kind of person — as a swimmer, coach, and family guy — that I want to be like.

Have you verbally committed to any University? If so, which one and why? If not, who is in your top five and why?
No. I have looked at everything that the colleges have sent me, but I won't know enough to rank them until I'm able to talk with the coaches, meet the teams and see the schools.

What has the recruiting process been like for you?
It's been really fun to get the letters. I guess I'll learn more about it after July 1, but so far, so good!

Have you scheduled any official or unofficial visits to any school? If so, where and what type of visits do you have planned?
I am swimming in a dual meet between Junior teams USA, Australia, Canada, etc., in Palo Alto at the end of June, so I guess that could be an unofficial visit to Stanford and I hope I'll get to see Cal then, too.

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