Conner Cruise '21 Recruiting Profile

1. Being a part of something bigger than myself. I have been fortunate to swim on many competitive swimming teams since the age of 7, including neighborhood community teams, a local YMCA team, middle school and high school teams, and a USA club team.  All of these team experiences have shaped me as a person and an athlete. I am personable and work well with others.  As a team captain of my high school and club teams, I am responsible for giving pre-meet motivational speeches, organizing team activities and encouraging team bonding for athletes of all grades and ability levels.   My teammates and I rely upon and support one another to reach a common goal. Our high school team, Cedar Rapids Washington, has 53 consecutive district titles, 27 state titles, and more than 100 individual state champions.  Many of my teammates are my best friends and we support each other in and out of the pool. My father has always been my #1 fan as well as one of my coaches. As a Division 1 swimmer at Northwestern University, he’s shared stories with me about his college swimming experiences.  From a very early age, I’ve wanted to follow in his footsteps.  I really hope to find a college team where I can make a difference athletically as well as have people around me who can better me as a person.

2. Dedicating myself to student athletics.  I have always been a hard worker, competitive and passionate both in and out of the pool. I hold myself to very high standards.  I am accustomed to the rigor of twice a day swim practice at 5:15 am before school and 6:00 pm in the evening, sessions with a personal trainer, private swim lessons, meets, team meetings and travel for competitions. I place a high emphasis on nutrition, fitness, emotional and spiritual well being.   I am a dedicated student with a GPA of 4.0 while taking many AP classes. In addition to swimming, I participate in many other high school and community activities.

3.  Being a good representative of my college/university. As a future member of a college swim team, I will represent my school with pride and integrity. I will continue to volunteer in the school and in the community. I plan to study engineering and am leaning towards aerospace engineering. My future ambitions include a desire to continue being involved in the sport of swimming in some capacity as a coach. I want to give back to the sport that has shaped my whole life.

I am so excited about what the future holds and look forward to finding a good college match.