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(article posted by Jeremy Rushing, Student Sports Information Assistant)

Feb. 17, 2014 - Although she's been swimming for the better part of a decade, North Central College swimmer Loreli Patschke still recalls the moment she learned to do something she's excelled in for a very long time.

"I first learned to swim at the age of 12 after being in gymnastics for a number of years," she recalls.  "I quickly got acquainted with the swimming program at my local park district and excelled right away."

It didn't take her long to realize that she had a combination of skill in the water as well as a passion for what she was doing.

"I knew I wanted to compete right away," she says.  "When I first started swimming I really had no clue what I was doing.  Once I learned the swimming technique I was thrown into a meet right away and it was great from the start."

In her North Central career, the senior has been very successful.  In her sophomore season she finished in the top 10 in seven events at the College Conference of Illinois & Wisconsin (CCIW) Championships.  Her effort at the conference meet was highlighted by fourth-place finishes in the 200-yard freestyle relay, 400-yard medley relay, and setting a school record in the 200-yard medley relay at the meet.

As a junior, the Medinah, Ill. native finished in the top 15 in three individual events at the CCIW Championships.  She was also a member of the 200-yard medley relay that finished fifth, the 400-yard freestyle relay that took sixth, and the 400-yard medley relay that came in fifth.  She recorded four victories individually on the season.

So far this season, the biology major has posted team-best times in the 50-yard freestyle and 100-yard butterfly and is a vital member of the Cardinals' 200-yard freestyle relay team.  On Thursday, Feb. 6, North Central held its Senior Day, hosting Wheaton College in a dual meet.  This meet marked one of the rare instances that the NCC swimming team hosts a meet here on campus, and also marked the final home meet of Patschke's career.

"It was really fun," she says.  "Normally we don't have home meets here so it was really exciting to actually have a home meet as seniors."

Out of the water, the Lake Park graduate is very involved in the College's biology program.  Her work with the department expands way beyond the classroom.

"I'm involved in a science outreach program for Dr. John Zenchak where we go to elementary schools and middle schools to talk to the kids about how cool science can be," explains Patschke.  "We show them science projects to teach them different things about what science can do."

This outreach program also introduced Patschke to a skill she never realized she had before, the skill to teach children about science.

"I never thought I'd have any interest in teaching, but working with the kids has taught me that I'm capable of impacting their lives," she says.

Just like when she first stepped into the water, Patschke vividly remembers what influenced her to pursue biology in the first place.

"My grandparents got sick with cancer, so witnessing them go through this process and seeing all these doctors really pushed me to go forward with biology and wind up somewhere in the medical field in the future," she says.

As far as what happens after she graduates in June, Patschke still isn't quite set on what's in store for her after receiving her degree.

"I know I want to go to grad school or a medical program but I'm not set on where just yet, I'm still weighing my options," she says.

Patschke concluded her collegiate career this past weekend, helping the 200- and 200-yard medley relay teams to fifth-place finishes as the team placed sixth overall at the CCIW Championships.