Image: Susana Ungo Quero via WCU Athletics
This past week, West Chester University (WCU) senior transfer student Susana Ungo Quero was named the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) athlete of the week for women’s swimming. The transfer from Emmanuel University earned the PSAC title after helping WCU’s women’s swim team to two victories on the afternoon of Friday, Oct. 11.
So far this season, Ungo Quero has recorded four individual first-place wins and has also secured four additional first-place finishes in relay events. Her favorite event, is the 200 butterfly: “I like to be challenged and the 200 fly is a very challenging event. I like having a strategy and being able to think during the race.”
Originally from Madrid, Spain, Ungo Quero has been swimming since she turned four years old and can’t recall what life would be like without it. “What I like most about America is the college life and the importance they give to student-athletes,” she continued, “It is difficult to be away from home, but I have to say that I am very fortunate to have the teammates I have because they make me feel at home.”
The culture here in the U.S. is extremely different from the culture in Spain and takes a lot of getting used to, according to Ungo Quero. Spain is a lot more family-oriented than the U.S. and the PSAC athlete struggles with being far from her family, especially on holidays and birthdays. Though she claims the food in Spain is far better, Ungo Quero appreciates the opportunities going to school in the U.S. has given her.
Ungo Quero’s swimming career took off immediately after coming to America. During her three years at Emmanuel University, Ungo Quero qualified for the NCAA Swimming Championships, broke school records on multiple occasions and was named Conference Carolinas Swimmer of the Year, along with being named an All-American athlete three different times.
With her future looking bright, Ungo Quero hopes to continue swimming for as long as she can.
WCU swimming and diving has a long season ahead with the PSAC Swimming Championship taking place Feb. 17–20 in York, PA. A few weeks later, the NCAA DII Championship will take place in Indianapolis during the week of collegiate Spring Break.
Last spring, WCU men’s and women’s swimming and diving sent a combined number of 19 student-athletes to the NCAA DII Championships after winning the PSAC Swimming Championship.
Following the win, head coach Steve Mazurek was named PSAC Women’s Swimming Coach of the Year. This was his sixth Coach of the Year certificate in seven seasons, his third year in a row.
The same season, nine of Coach Mazurek’s female swimming and diving team members were named First Team Scholar All-America by the College Swimming and Diving Coaches Association (CSCAA). To qualify, the nine athletes kept a minimum of a 3.5 GPA while participating in the NCAA Championships.
This season, WCU’s swimming and diving team hopes to bring home another PSAC trophy and qualify for the NCAA Championships. Based on the way their season is going so far, they seem to be headed in the right direction.
Sophie Stair is a second-year English major with a minor in Journalism.