Nantucket senior swimmer Sam Wisentaner announced her commitment to Monmouth University Wednesday evening on Instagram, where she will continue her academic and swimming career as a member of the Hawk’s Div. I swim & dive program. Wisentaner said her Mom, Lisa, also went to Monmouth. She said her mom always told her stories growing up about her time at Monmouth, her cross country team, and how much she loved her coach.
“Going to Monmouth was always a thought in the back of my mind until my mom asked me if I wanted to take a look at the school,” Wisentaner said. “Once I visited the school I just knew that I wanted to go there. The campus is beautiful, the athletics are top notch. and I have a bunch of family nearby. There was no reason why I wouldn’t want to. Once I talked to the coaches there and I found out I could get a spot on the team I immediately knew it was my top school.”
Wisentaner said has been swimming since she was six years old. She said a primary reason why she loves to be part of a swim team is because of the team dynamic and the relationships she has formed over the years.
“I have been with the same group of kids (since I was six) and I think that is a big reason why I have stuck with the sport for so long,” she said. “I think another big reason I’ve loved the sport for so long is because I was never pushed to meet any expectations. My family has never put pressure on me to do well (swimming), but they have always supported me to do my best and let me make the decisions I wanted with swimming.”
Head coach Jim Pignato said he is very proud of Wisentaner, what she has accomplished, and has loved having the opportunity to coach her. Wisentaner is the third girl swimmer to commit to a Div. I swim & dive program, a number Pignato said is unmatched compared to past years.
“I think it is almost unprecedented,” Pignato said. “When it comes to Div. I swimmers, we had maybe three or four total before this year. This senior class has been pretty solid for quite a while. All three years before this they have been very dominating and it shows with the way we built our lineups over the years. A lot of these kids in this class were swimming well before high school, so they came up through our club program and stuck with it.”
Wisentaner said she is very thankful for the support she has received from her coaches on Nantucket and believes they played a large role in helping her become a Div. I swimmer.
“My coaches have always been very supportive and there to help me improve my technique,” Wisentaner said. “I feel that their positive coaching techniques have helped me stay with the sport and continue to improve as I got older. Overall, my coaches have been a great support system for me and definitely played a big role in my success.”
Pignato said they try to position athletes such as Wisentaner to get to that next level as a swimmer but also be in a position to go to a school where they can swim while pursuing other interests as well.
“At the end of the day swimming is great and athletics is great, but it is only going to take you so far,” Pignato said. “You have to make sure you are a well-rounded individual and going into a higher education program that is going to fit you both athletically and academically.”
