For some K-State students, swimming is a sport they have spent a lifetime chasing. For others, it is a way to stay connected to an activity they missed the moment they set foot on campus. Without a Division I swimming program — or even a pool or natatorium on campus — finding a place to dive in seemed nearly impossible. But for members of the K-State Swim and Dive Club, it is an opportunity to keep the sport alive, compete and find a home away from home along the way.
For Mary Kate Russell, a sophomore mechanical engineering student from Nevada, Missouri, swimming has been a constant since she was 5, with 13 summers on her hometown team and four years coaching. Assuming a pool-less campus meant hanging up her goggles for good, Russell was stunned when a fellow coach and K-State alum told her the club existed.
That same drive to keep the sport alive brought Nikola Procházková, senior in accounting from Třebíč, Czech Republic, to the team. After coming to swimming through triathlons alongside running and biking, Procházková missed the shared energy of training with others after transferring to K-State.
“When I transferred to K-State, I was curious if there was any swim club so I could enjoy swimming with others,” Procházková said. “I also missed swimming a lot, so when I found out there was a swim club, I knew that I am joining!”
For Lupita Guadalupe Guzman-Soto, a sophomore in biochemistry and medical laboratory science from Kansas City, Kansas, trading softball for the pool unlocked an entirely new chapter. Guzman-Soto discovered the club on her own at her first-semester activities carnival, and her best friend convinced her to join.
“I stayed with it because I fell in love with it!” Guzman-Soto said.
That exact spirit of discovery at the activities carnival also drew in Tehya Cox-Potter, a senior in civil engineering from St. Louis, Missouri, who wasn’t ready to walk away from a sport she grew up playing alongside her older brother.
As a fully student-led organization, the club lets members set their own pace. The team practices five days a week at Genesis Health Clubs and competes in two to three meets each semester, but attendance is entirely optional.
“You only need to put into the team what you want, so no pressure to attend the most practices or the most social events,” Cox-Potter said, adding that members range from casual swimmers to lifelong competitors.
Procházková emphasized that this inclusive environment welcomes everyone, no matter their background.
“If you want to reconnect with your favorite sport, our club is here for you!” Procházková said. “You don’t need to worry about being left behind because everyone is welcome!”
That welcoming, low-pressure atmosphere shapes a vibrant team culture. Procházková said some of her absolute favorite moments happen right in the middle of tough sets, when teammates push through a challenging workout together.
“I would say the personality of the team is very bubbly, very fun, super relaxed, and super friendly,” Cox-Potter echoes. “Overall, everyone is very kind and very supportive of each other.”
For demanding majors across biochemistry, civil engineering, mechanical engineering and accounting, the pool deck provides a vital mental reset. Whether it’s Russell finding a sense of peace after a long day of engineering classes, or Guzman-Soto and Cox-Potter leaning into club social and volunteer events, the team serves as an essential outlet away from heavy coursework.
“Our ability to travel more often than most clubs makes it easy for people to get along and get to know each other!” Guzman-Soto added.
When it’s time to race, the team shows up ready to compete. At the Central Showdown on Oct. 10 at Capitol Federal Natatorium in Topeka’s Hummer Sports Park, the Wildcat swimmers went head-to-head with regional club teams.
Russell put up strong performances, taking third in the 50-yard butterfly with 32.57 seconds and fourth in the 200-yard freestyle in 2:26.47. Procházková stepped up in the 100-yard freestyle, and Guzman-Soto tackled the 100-yard backstroke, clocking a 1:29.51. Cox-Potter also showed her versatility on the blocks, finishing strong in the 50-yard breaststroke (41.27) and the 100-yard individual medley (1:21.07).
Travel meets also supply unforgettable milestones and steep learning curves. Guzman-Soto remembers feeling the pressure during the 200-yard medley relay, where she teamed up with Breckyn Wahlmeier, Colleen Seyler and Russell.
“I was extremely nervous, but everyone was so supportive and encouraging!” Guzman-Soto recalled.
Similarly, Cox-Potter recalled her first-ever college club meet in Colorado, where she decided to swim the 200-yard freestyle.
“I thought it would be super easy cause I’ve done it so many times before,” Cox-Potter laughed. “Safe to say, it was one of the hardest events I’ve ever competed in in my life.”
Russell experienced her own breakthrough at altitude in Colorado last spring, swimming the 100-yard butterfly for the first time in years and shattering her previous marks.
“It felt really good to prove to myself that I can still drop time,” Russell said.
Whether they are battling through tough sets, tackling a relay under pressure or road-tripping to weekend meets, members of the Swim and Dive Club have carved out a space where academic demands and athletic passions meet, proving that even without a varsity program or an on-campus pool, the swimming community at K-State is here to stay.
