Asplund fits in with Warrior swimmers

CEDAR RAPIDS - Cedar Rapids Xavier's loss was Cedar Rapids Washington's gain.

When McKenzie Asplund had to find a new team after the Saints program was dropped in the offseason, she weighed her options before deciding to swim for the Warriors. It has turned out to be a good match.

The Xavier junior has injected talent and energy to the Washington lineup, while benefiting from the new team and training by recording her fastest times at this point in the season.

The elimination of the program left Xavier swimmers to join one of the three Cedar Rapids public high school teams. Swimmers moved to the schools closest to their residence. Asplund lives in Marion, but Washington was still the closest option after deciding not to participate strictly in club swimming. Asplund was willing to try it on a probationary basis, switching to club-only swimming if she didn't enjoy the new arrangement.

"As soon as I tried Washington swimming I just loved it," Asplund said. "I was sad that Xavier wasn't going to have a team but I was also happy that I was going to get to experience two whole years of a high school team of a different kind."

The transition was eased by her extrovert personality, and relationships forged through club and youth swimming. Warriors Jackie Hughes and Hannah Saulnier helped introduce her to her new teammates. They allowed her to become comfortable and relax.

"It did help a lot," Asplund said. "It was a lot less stressful."

Washington Coach Megan Lewis said they have never viewed Asplund, and Molly Snow, another Xavier student on the Washington team, as anything different than a part of the program. Immediately, it became an all-for-one and one-for-all mentality.

"OK, you're on the Warrior swim team, you're a Warrior. Let's go," Lewis said about the prevailing attitude. "She picked that up as fast as we picked that up."

Lewis was "ecstatic" to learn in July that Asplund would be on her team.

"She fits very well into the team," said Lewis, who praised Asplund's work ethic. "She fights hard. She is a big bundle of energy."

Lewis said the team feeds off that energy, and that Asplund has provided brief moments of levity during a tough workout that seems to recharge her teammates. She has meshed well with a core group of swimmers that leads what Lewis calls the hardest working team she has ever coached.

"I just wish we had her the other two years," Lewis said. "She is incredible for our team."

Nervous energy surrounded her first meet for the Warriors - a 104-81 win over Dubuque Wahlert. Xavier didn't contend for many dual wins due to overall numbers and depth of talent. The Washington tradition is the exact opposite, so she said she felt she had to perform to avoid letting her team down. Asplund said it did help get her more excited for the event, but Lewis said they have told Asplund not to worry about wins and just swim her best.

"I felt like I had a lot of pressure on me but I really didn't," Asplund said. "I kind of built it up to something that it wasn't."

Asplund is a four-time state qualifier, reaching the final meet in two individual events the last two seasons. She won regional titles in the 200 individual medley and 500 free. Asplund is well ahead of her pace the last two seasons thanks to a more intense training regimen, including morning practice every day from Monday through Saturday.

"We were looking back on how I was last year at this time and I'm doing a lot better (and) faster," Asplund said. "All the training we do I think it's all coming into play."

She has made a big contribution, winning individual and joining in on winning Warrior relays. She has posted times about 2:20.00 in the 200 IM, 2:03.00 in the 200 free and 5:32.00 in 500 free - her three top events. Lewis has asked Asplund to swim other events, including the 100 fly and 100 breaststroke (an event she qualified for state as a freshman).

"I used to get kind of tired swimming the same events every meet," Asplund said. "I like having a little bit of variety."

She would like to vary her state meet results as well. Despite competing in multiple events at state the last two seasons, Asplund has never cracked the top 20, but sees the potential for improvement with help from her new team.

"I'm just hoping to qualify top eight in something going into state and maybe get up on the podium (top six)," Asplund said. "I just want to be placed higher than I ever have been at state."