Park Record Media Center

Gabrielle Nixon, center, has known she will be going to Marist College since last fall. “It took me about two months to decide,” she said. “I was going back and forth between two schools but everything fell in line at Marist and it just seemed like the perfect choice for me. It’s the right size and it’s a good school.” Marist is a private, liberal arts college in Poughkeepsie, New York. “It’s super pretty, it’s right on the Hudson River, the architecture of the buildings is all older brick … it’s pretty much a walking campus which is nice,” she said. Nixon was recruited to play lacrosse. Also pictured, her mom, Simone, and her father, Brent, and her sisters, Amelia, right, and Kathrin, left. (Ben Ramsey/Park Record)

Livia Kimche, center, is joined by her mom Stefani and her dad Scott, plus her sister Ava and brother Eli. A year ago Livia Kimche was just getting her feet wet as a rower, but after the coach at a summer rowing camp passed her information on to the University of Virginia rowing coach, her boat became a vehicle to college. “I went out for a visit this fall and really fell in love with it,” Kimche said of the Charlottesville, Virginia, campus, “So yeah, that’s how I decided.” In preparation for her departure next fall, she said she and her parents have been spending some quality time together. “We have definitely been having some nostalgic conversations this year but I think they are excited for me and I’m ready to start this new chapter,” she said. “I had visits at three other schools and Virginia kind of blew them all out of the water and I really loved it there.” Kimche said her future teammates came across as “the type of people I aspire to be,” and said the culture there was admirable. “I’m looking forward to being a part of it,” she said. (Ben Ramsey/Park Record)

Siena Senn found Davidson College in Davidson, North Carolina, on her last recruiting trip. “I like to say it’s my Goldilocks school because it was the perfect fit for me,” she said. “We are just making it official today.” Senn said she made the decision in mid-October after touring the campus. “I would honestly say before I went to Davidson I never believed in that ‘Aha!’ moment,” she said. “But when I stepped on campus, all the girls were so welcoming, the coaches were so understanding, it just felt like my home away from home. And even though it’s so far away from Utah, I have family in Virginia and I’m just excited to go to the East Coast and make a life of my own.” Senn competes in the 200 freestyle and 500 freestyle. Senn is pictured center, with her parents Kara and Martin, and her siblings, Luca and Sydney. (Ben Ramsey/Park Record)

Lucas Hess said he found out he was going to Brown University to swim a couple weeks ago. “I just called up the coach and told him I was going there,” he said. “I’m definitely excited to get away. Ready to move onto the next stage.” That said, the Providence, Rhode Island school has been on his mind since Brown contacted him in July. “I went on a recruiting trip on September 16 and I thought it was a good fit,” he said. “I thought I could relate to everyone else. They were just like me, so I definitely thought it was a good fit.” Hess said his parents are pleased with his decision but his mom is less pleased with the distance between them. “I think my mom is just a little salty about it,” he said. Hess competes in the 200 butterfly and 200 freestyle. He is joined in the photo by his swimming coach Ron Lockwood and his mom, Karin. (Ben Ramsey/Park Record)