On paper, swimming is all about milliseconds — but for senior Commodore Megan Ciezczak, shedding a millisecond isn’t the most memorable part of her time swimming for Vanderbilt; it’s the races where she can swim with her teammates.
“At the end of the year, when you’ve gone through so much, dropping that 0.2 of a second means a lot,” Ciezczak said. “But in those races, I always have teammates in them, and I feel like that’s what really pushes me — when I take a breath, and I can see a teammate right there, [I know] I can finish [the race]. Those races [are] just more memorable — and those stand out the most.”
Finding a home on West End
The senior from Naperville, Illinois, has been with Vanderbilt since her sophomore season and is no stranger to swimming success. Ciezczak grew up with the sport, influenced by her older brother, Matt. At a young age, Ciezczak went along with him to the pool; although that didn’t stop her from playing basketball, water polo and soccer. Eventually, though, a penchant for swimming shone through, and with a little inspiration from her brother’s recruiting process she began to go through the process herself.
“My brother’s five years older than me, and he swam in college, so that first sparked my interest in swimming in college,” Ciezczak said. “I didn’t really know if I would [at first], but you idolize your older siblings. So I [thought]: ‘Okay, maybe I’ll take this seriously.’”
Ciezczak swam for her high school, Nequa Valley High, in Naperville and for the Fox Valley Swim Team. She excelled with both teams, setting records and winning titles for both. Even though she wasn’t interested in staying nearby and joining her brother at Southern Illinois as a Saluki, Ciezczak knew she wanted to swim in college.
“I wanted to swim at the highest level that I could, and the SEC is definitely the best conference for swimming,” Ciezczak said. “That was always a goal.”
Ciezczak announced her commitment to Kentucky shortly after starting the recruiting process, and to her, the school was the perfect combination of academics and athletics—even things like the school colors and the distance from her home in Naperville seemed to be ideal.
“On paper, it was the perfect school for me,” Ciezczak said.
When her first year as a Wildcat didn’t go as she anticipated, the Illinois native decided to take a leap and enter the transfer portal. She kept her expectations more open than the first time around, but one thing was nonnegotiable: staying in the SEC.
“There’s something about the SEC and swimming that is just special,” Ciezczak said. “From simply the schools involved in it to [all] the different aspects that come with [the conference] — that definitely made me passionate about staying in the SEC.”
Vanderbilt first entered the radar for Ciezczak when she met teammates Faith Knelson and Allison Bauer at the Kentucky Derby. At the time, the former Wildcat was already in the transfer portal, and the trio were all staying in the same house together.
“[Bauer and Nelson told me], ‘We really like you, and we think you’d fit in well on our team — let [us] just text our coach right now,’” Ciezczak said. “And I [replied], ‘Okay, right now?’”
Associate head coach Chelsea Piper then texted the potential transfer the next day, asking her to hop on a call, and the rest was history. Even though she visited two other schools during the transfer process, Ciezczak knew as soon as she walked on Vanderbilt’s campus that she had to be on West End.
“Coming [to Nashville] and seeing the school — that solidified it right away,” Ciezczak said. “I just had that type of feeling that I never experienced between both of my recruiting periods. It was just the feeling that I knew that this was where I wanted to be.”
Unlike her high school experience, Ciezczak didn’t need much time to decide about Vanderbilt.
“I came for a day and met three girls on the team; it was a super quick visit,” Ciezczak said. “I went home and I couldn’t stop talking about how this was where I wanted to be. My first time recruiting, I [thought]: “What makes most sense on paper?’ I did all the math, rating everything — then here I had just had a feeling, and I knew this was where I wanted to be.”
Relays, records and results
Ciezczak has achieved top-10 times in program history in four events: the 50-yard freestyle, 100 freestyle, 50 backstroke and 100 backstroke. She’s made the CSCAA NIC B cut for various events all three years as a ‘Dore, but made the A standard for the first time last season in the 50 back. The senior is also a part of three record-setting relay teams — the 200 free, 400 free and 200 medley —- all set at SEC Championships her junior year.
Being on relays is different for Ciezczak — it’s the one part of the sport that doesn’t focus on individual efforts or accomplishments.
“There’s just something about relays and swimming, as it’s such an individual sport,” Ciezczak said. “We train all together, and we live, practice and do everything together. But, when you’re racing, you’re just so individualized, and relays are special because you’re up on the block with your teammates, and your swim impacts the next girl and so on. Relays in general just get me so excited, and they mean so much more because it’s more than just for me — it’s for the girls I’m on the team with. It’s just a more meaningful swim.”
She said the records she holds mean a lot to her not just because they’re etched in history but because those races mean so much more than just one person.
“The relays I’ve been on — ones we’ve set records [in] and ones we haven’t — I feel such a different feeling going into those,” Ciezczak said. “It’s just so special to have those records; they obviously mean a lot, as they are records, but they show a time where we all came together, supported each other and threw down good times for each other.”
The senior, reflecting on her three years’ worth of relays, believes that overall her 400 free relays were the most dominant.
“[The 400 freestyle relays] are always the last day of the meet at SECs, so everyone’s tired, but those mean so much more because it’s at the end, and we’re like, ‘Okay, one more, we can do it,’” Ciezczak said. “Those have a special meaning because it’s a lot harder. You’re not going into the [event] fresh — you’ve [probably] swam seven events at this point — [and] you’re going up there, and you’re giving everything you have in that moment.”
But, one relay team sticks in her mind: the 200 free relay at the SEC Tournament last year. The squad of Sophia Kosturos, Ellie Taliaferro, Jenna Ravarino and Ciezczak clocked a 1:31.02, and though they finished 13th in that race, there was one important team that they bested: the Kentucky Wildcats.
“I just remember walking back from the pool deck and all the girls jumping off the bleachers, hugging us and just being so supportive,” Ciezczak recalled. “That one really stands out to me.”
Individually, Ciezczak has had a lot of success, but a highlight that stands out for her is her 100 backstroke race last season at the South Carolina Invitational. She and teammate Kailia Utley both finished within the top seven of the race, with the Commodores finishing the meet on the second step of the podium. For her, the most memorable moment wasn’t the result but being able to race side by side with Utley.
“[That] was my first time swimming [the 100 back] for Vanderbilt that season, and I was in Heat One (if you have no time, you’re entered in Heat One), and me and [Utley] had such a fun race because it was just us, really, in that heat,” Ciezczak said. “We swim completely opposite ways but we were together the whole time. I was so motivated with her next to me, and [that was] the best time [for me]. I felt like we were swimming it together, and that was really special.”
What the future holds
Ciezczak is returning to Vanderbilt next year — but not for swimming. The medicine, health and society major is enrolling in Vanderbilt Nursing School to obtain a Master of Science in Nursing Prespecialty on the women’s health/gender-related nurse practitioner pre-specialty route.
“My goal — my number one dream — was to go to Vanderbilt Nursing School so I could stay in Nashville and be close to my old teammates,” Ciezczak said. “It’s such a great program, so I’m really excited about that. From a young age, I’ve always been interested in health care, and I think nursing just fits me.”
Ciezczak developed a passion for women’s health after working at Nashville Pelvic Health this summer into this year. She’s also worked at Vanderbilt Primary Care, and through Vanderbilt Athletics, has traveled to Guatemala and New Zealand to continue her studies. The experiences confirmed her interest in the field of medicine.
“I want to help others; that’s where my passion lies,” Ciezczak said.
Even though balancing a nursing undergraduate degree with a varsity sport wasn’t possible for Ciezczak, there was never a question about staying at Vanderbilt for graduate school. The senior credits the team and the team culture with her attachment to West End.
“I’ve had amazing teammates, team culture and coaches — that has definitely made me grow,” Ciezczak said. “My character has grown by meeting so many different walks of life here, and the teammates I’ve had, and our team culture, grows every year. The team pushes [me] in good ways all the time; you’re around each other a lot, and it can be hard to be around the same people all the time, but we have such a great team. Culture [was] never an issue. They push me to be better in the pool and outside [of it], so I owe it all to them.”
So, how does Ciezczak want to finish her final season on the team? By continuing to strive to be the best she can be.
“I’ve been swimming for 15, 16 years or so; I just want to be happy and content when I’m done,” Ciezczak said. “But I still have what I want to achieve; I know our relays want to finish strong at SECs, and I’m really excited about those — [both] the ones I’m on, and I’m the ones I’m not. I’d love to [have] one more best time. It would be awesome if that happens; if it doesn’t, it’s okay. I just want to enjoy every moment, [and all of] the last moments of everything. So I have some goals for myself about achieving times, but also just really enjoying the moment and hoping our team finishes well — and just cheering on everyone.”
In her last meet of the regular season, Ciezczak took home top-four finishes in every race she was entered in. And, although the team didn’t emerge victorious on Senior Day vs. SIU, the Illinois native is grateful for every moment.
“I really can’t speak [more highly] about my experience here, especially after my freshman year not going exactly the way I wanted it to. It just means so much that I can cherish these past three years,” Ciezczak said. “I’m really grateful that I was given the opportunity to transfer here; I wouldn’t trade that for the world.”
Ciezczak and Vanderbilt Swimming will start their postseason at the SEC Tournament in Athens, Georgia, from Feb. 18-22.
