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Contact: Clark Teuscher, Sports Information Director, 630-637-5302
(article posted by Jeremy Rushing, Student Sports Information Assistant)

Feb. 4, 2014 - Swimming means a lot of different things to various individuals. For some it's a fear, for others it's a fun activity, for many it's a way to stay in shape.  For North Central College's Robb Showalter, swimming is a passion, and he's felt that passion from the very beginning.  Since first dipping his foot into the water over a decade ago, Showalter knew he wanted to swim for more than just fun or recreation - he wanted to compete.

"I first learned how to swim in fourth grade," he recalls.  "That's when I started swimming competitively."

Many college athletes spring board off of impressive high school careers when they begin at the college level.  Showalter, on the other hand, came into North Central with a chip on his shoulder following a sub-par finish to his high school career.

"I had a disappointing senior year [of high school] and I knew I had a lot more potential, so I wanted to find a way to live up to that in college," he explains. 

In his sophomore season, the Flagstaff, Ariz. native showed his best time in the 100-yard freestyle (57.55) at the University of Chicago's Phoenix Fall Classic. At the Olivet College Dual Showalter swam his best 200-yard freestyle in 1:57.70. He was part of the fifth place finish team in the 400-yard medley relay at the CCIW Championships and also placed 10th in the 200-yard backstroke at the CCIW Championships.

Last year, as a junior, Showalter recorded season-bests in the 100-yard backstroke (57.90, 14th place) and 200-yard backstroke (2:12.04, 18th place) at the CCIW Championships.

"You can't beat the feeling you get when you're done swimming or after a race," he said. "When you get the time you want, you remember all the hard work you put in was worth it."

The international business and marketing double major has also enjoyed strong performance in the classroom.  Showalter's success out of the water comes from the same inspiration as his success in it, a supreme interest in what he's doing.

"I'm very interested in traveling, I travel a lot.  So I thought international business would kind of feed that passion," he explains.  "I'm also really interested in business and how businesses operate."

Whether he's flip-turning in the water or flipping through a business text book, Robb Showalter focuses in on every little detail that can give him the greatest possible chance at success.  And that ability to focus stems from one thing.

"Swimming is just something I love doing," he proclaims.

Showalter and the rest of the North Central College swim team host Wheaton College in a dual this Thursday.  Events begin at 4:30pm.