Sophomore Melissa Nwakalor stepped up to the block with the United States’ top swimmers beside her as she prepared to compete in the 50 freestyle finals at the NCAA Championships in Federal Way, Wash.
Everything came down to this moment. All the work, sacrifice and dedication was wrapped up in 22.01 seconds, tying off her second season at the University of Richmond. Shaking off the expectations before her, she dove in.
She had been working to take fewer breaths leading up to the event, which paid off as she pulled herself through the water. She took 24th of 85 swimmers as she touched the pool’s wall.
"Like every season, we start with visions of improvement,” Head Coach Matt Barany said in a press release. “Melissa's improvement has been exceptional. We never would have guessed she'd end up top 24, but she did.”
Her time also named her as the top swimmer among the mid-major teams. Nwakalor had been happy to just make it to the event, but making it to the finals and competing against famous names in the sport was an entirely different experience.
“I am just grateful for the experience of being able to attend that kind of meet, to be able to compete with the best athletes in the country, the world,” Nwakalor said after the event.
The event was packed with renowned athletes, including those branded with the famous ringed tattoo marking them as Olympians. University of Virginia senior Gretchen Walsh, a world record holder and Paris Olympics gold medalist, took the top spot in Nwakalor’s event, the 50 freestyle.
“It was just so cool to watch and see how fast these people can go,” Nwakalor. “Watching on TV is different from actually being there and seeing them do crazy stuff.”
The sole Spider to qualify, Nwakalor faced the overwhelming event without her teammates. The Spiders are a tight-knit team. After morning practice they eat breakfast together then head to class. In the evening, they study together and eat dinner. While their absence was obvious, the ghost of their support was ever-present.
“I didn’t have my teammates with me, but I could still feel their support for me,” Nwakalor said. “Before I even went I had parents [of teammates] sending me videos. I had such a huge support system.”
While her teammates couldn’t be there, Nwakalor’s mom and Assistant Coach Freya Rayner made the cross-country trip with her.
“Freya, she doesn’t like me saying it, but she’s like my best friend,” Nwakalor said. “Yeah, I didn’t feel alone. I woke up to like seven million texts from pretty much every single team I’ve been on since I was born.”
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The NCAA Championships came after Nwakalor’s phenomenal performance at the Atlantic 10 Championships held Feb. 19 to 22. Nwakalor claimed three gold medals and a silver medal. In the 100 freestyle, she broke the UR record in the preliminary before breaking it again in the finals with a time of 48.78.
She is no stranger to breaking school records, having also finished first at the 2024 A10 Championships in the 50 freestyle and breaking the UR record with a 22.55.
Going forward, Nwakalor doesn’t plan to shy away from progress, but instead has been invigorated to push harder.
“I feel like the NCAA [Championships] really opened my eyes. I got to feel how big the swim world is,” Nwakalor said. “I just feel like there’s still so far to go. There’s still work to be done in the weight room, maybe trying to get more powerful, get more strength. I’m excited for what’s ahead.”
Contact sports editor Abigail Finney at abigail.finney@richmond.edu.
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