Women's Swimming and Diving

Student-Athlete Spotlight: Paige Pelikan, UW-Eau Claire

Each week during the 2022-23 academic year, the Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (WIAC) will feature two student-athletes (one male and one female) from one of its eight institutions for a “Student-Athlete Spotlight” Q & A segment. The segments will be posted every Thursday and individuals are selected by the institution. The WIAC Student-Athlete Spotlights are presented by Culver's.


Name:  Paige Pelikan
Institution:  UW-Eau Claire
Hometown (High School):  New Berlin, Wis. (New Berlin West High School)
Year in school:  5th Year
Sport:  Women’s Swimming & Diving
Majors:  Accounting, Information Systems, and French
Minor:  Finance


Why did you choose UW-Eau Claire?
I initially chose UW-Eau Claire because I wanted to pursue actuarial science and swim in college. UW-Eau Claire was one of the few schools in the Midwest at the time where both of those were a possibility for me. I fell in love with the campus and UW-Eau Claire’s support to help you pursue everything you’re passionate about.

What other clubs/organizations on campus are you involved in?
I am currently the president of UW-Eau Claire’s Beta Alpha Psi (BAP) chapter; Zeta Omicron. BAP is a business honors organization for financial information students and professionals that is available to students who attend universities accredited by the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB). Further, this organization aims to give students a better skillset related to ethical, professional, and social responsibilities related to the business world.
 
What causes do you care about?
I care about giving back to the local community and helping others in any way that I can.

What do you like most about competing in the Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference and being a NCAA Division III student-athlete?
I like competing in the WIAC because it’s fun to compete against other Wisconsin schools. We all live in/attend Wisconsin for school, so all the WIAC athletes get along well and share a lot in common. I enjoy being a Division III athlete because it allows me to balance school and sports equally. Further, I don’t have to sacrifice one over the other.
 
What is your favorite…
Menu item from Culver’s?  French Fries!
Flavor of the Day from Culver’s? Unfortunately, I’m lactose intolerant, so I can’t enjoy their amazing flavors. But I like their lemon ice in the summer!
Non-Athletic Spot on Campus?  Our library
Movie?  Pirates of the Caribbean series
Holiday?  Christmas
Food?  Giant Soft Pretzels
Musical Group/Artist?  Greta Van Fleet
Professional Sports Athlete/Team?  Simone Manuel
Vacation Spot?  Mercer, Wis.
 
What is your greatest sports moment? 
I took my junior year off of swimming to heal some tedious shoulder injuries that had gotten worse due to the intensity of collegiate training. I’m a distance swimmer, so we tend to have some of the most challenging practices and sets. During my off-time, I focused on strengthening all the muscles around my shoulder, which helped it recover a lot. My senior season, last year, did not go exactly how I had hoped because of my time off from swimming. Therefore, this past summer, I took it upon myself to swim and lift over the summer to prepare for my final 5th year season. Fortunately, the training I did this past summer has allowed me to have my most successful season yet. While taking a break was difficult, I’m grateful I took one so that I can continue to push myself and train harder today.
 
What is your favorite thing to do off the court/field with your teammates?
Eating with the team at our cafeteria during winter break, it’s like a big family lunch and dinner.
 
One word that describes your team?
Family.
 
One word that describes you?
Ambitious.
 
What is your dream job? 
Data Scientist and Airbnb Host on the side.
 
Three things on your "bucket list"?
---Visit France.
---Visit Italy.
---Visit Ireland.
 
A non-athletic talent that you have is?
I play the viola.

Do you have any pre-game/pre-event superstitions or rituals? If so, what are they?
Before each of my races, I always go into the locker room where it’s quiet to stretch, warmup, and visualize my race.
 
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