Ava Craig ’27 is a sophomore freestyle swimmer from Fairfax, VA. Craig was recently named Centennial Conference Athlete of the Week on Nov. 19 after finishing first in the 100 and 200 freestyle with times of 53.47 and 1:55.29, respectively. She was also part of the winning 200 freestyle relay team that finished in 1:39.74 in the same meet against Washington College. The week before Thanksgiving at the Franklin and Marshall Winter Invitational, Craig won the 200 free event again with a season best time of 1:53.22. Her time stands as Swarthmore’s fifth fastest in program history. At this meet, the sophomore also put up a fourth-best all-time Garnet performance in the 500 freestyle while winning the C-final (a third heat of finals where the 17th through 24th fastest swimmers have an opportunity to swim again). Last year, Craig competed in five events at the Centennial Conference Championships, and she was ranked 35th in Division III for the 200 free. The Garnet compete next on Dec. 6 at Ursinus College.
Abby Chang: How did you feel about finishing first in the 200 freestyle at the Franklin and Marshall Winter Invite?
Ava Craig: I was really happy with my race. It’s the closest I’ve been to my best time in quite a while, so I was actually pretty surprised by the time. The energy and cheering from my teammates definitely helped me keep pushing to finish the race the best I could.
Chang: What have been some highlights of the season thus far?
Craig: After the F&M Invite, our head coach, Karin, sent out a list of all the lifetime bests, college bests, and season bests that were swum over the course of the meet. It was really cool to see a long list of all the fast times people swam, especially considering we’re only halfway through the season. I’m excited to see what the rest of the season has in store.
Chang: What are some team or personal goals for the rest of the season?
Craig: We had a meeting at the beginning of the season to talk about our team goals and many were about demonstrating good sportsmanship and being there for one another. It means a lot to be a part of a team where, yes, we want to succeed in the sport, but being respectful and a good teammate are also top priorities.
Chang: Do you have any pre-game or post-game rituals?
Craig: I’m someone who really needs to mentally prepare myself before doing literally anything, so I like to watch videos of the races I’m going to swim and think about all the different race details and strategies that will help me do my best.
Chang: Do you have an athlete role model or someone in the sport you look up to?
Craig: This might sound cheesy, but I really look up to all my teammates. I remember being at my first swim practice at Swat and thinking, “Wow, this is a really hardworking and committed group.” As I’ve gotten to know everyone more, I’ve found that they always give everything their best effort, whether that’s in the pool or in the classroom.
Chang: Why do you swim?
Craig: A big reason I swim is because the sport has given me a second family. That’s something that has really resonated with me since joining Swarthmore’s swim team. Everyone on the team is incredibly supportive and genuine. It’s awesome to show up to the pool, not only to practice but also to spend time with really great people, and get to do it all over again the next day. It’s really cool to be a part of something bigger than myself.
Chang: Why did you choose Swarthmore? What is your area of study?
Craig: I chose Swarthmore because I wanted to go to a school that would challenge me academically. I also liked how it had a tight-knit community with small class sizes. Being a member of the swim team was also really important to me; the sport has been a big part of my day-to-day life for a long time now. I plan to major in biochemistry and am on a pre-dental track.
Chang: What is your favorite class that you’ve taken at Swarthmore?
Craig: I really enjoyed taking Sculpture I. I had never taken an art class before, and we were in the MakerSpace using all sorts of power tools, so it was definitely a step out of my comfort zone, but it was great to have a class that allowed for more creativity. It was a nice break from the other more stressful classes I was taking.
Chang: How did you spend your Thanksgiving break?
Craig: I slept. A lot. I, unfortunately, was sick. Swat plague is real.
Chang: What do you like to do outside of school and swimming?
Craig: I really enjoy doing all sorts of crafty things! I love working with my hands, which is one of the reasons why I want to be a dentist. I usually crochet amigurumi plushies, but recently I’ve been getting more into learning how to knit socks and sew clothing.
