Shannyn Hultin just finished her four years of eligibility as a swimmer at the University of Arizona, we caught with her to get a peek into what life is like as an Arizona Wildcat athlete.
Shannyn Sophia-Marianne Hultin is from Westlake Village, California, where she attended Agoura High School. Shannyn was recruited by UCLA, USC, and Ohio State, but she chose The University of Arizona, and it was the absolute right decision for her and her family.
Agoura High senior and swimmer Shannyn Hultin will be making a splash at the University of Arizona in the fall.... http://ff.im/-tOut7
— UA Tweets (@uatweets) November 16, 2010
If you or anyone you know is considering an athletic career as an Arizona Wildcat, you should have them read this interview. I am not surprised that her experience was so wonderful as both of my daughters have similar experiences, although not as an athlete, as an athlete your experiences seem to be a little richer.
Photo: Shannyn Hultin
We sat down with Shannyn as she is currently attending summer school in Tucson, to find out more about her experience at the U of A.
ZZ: You just completed your eligibility period at the University of Arizona, congrats! You are now former an Arizona Wildcat Athlete, what is the first thing that comes to your mind on what you will miss the most?
Shannyn: What I will miss most is the family environment you get from being in Arizona athletics. From the first time you step on campus as a freshman, you instantly have a family and a support group that will be there for life. I will definitely miss the rare camaraderie among the swim team and being surrounded by such driven and gifted people each day.
Photo: Shannyn Hultin
ZZ: What’s next for Shannyn Hultin? Will you continue to swim competitively after you graduate?
Shannyn: It has been quite a long road and although I’ll always love to swim, I’m choosing to not swim competitively anymore.
ZZ: Did your University of Arizona Experience meet or exceed your expectations as a freshman?
Shannyn: I knew I was coming into a top-notch program surrounded by some of the greatest swimmers in the country and I received nothing less than that!
It was awesome to come into that and learn so much from the variety of people around me. I have met some of the best people here and friends I will have for life. Through the highs and lows, I learned to embrace the “Roller Coaster” life gives you and stay true to yourself. And that is probably the most valuable concept I have learned in my time here.
ZZ: What advice would you give to incoming freshman? What would you tell your freshman self?
Shannyn: Take advantage of every opportunity given to you and really savor every moment. Everyone always says “It goes by fast” and it sure does! Don’t take anything for granted!
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ZZ: It’s your major, and what is your dream job?
Shannyn: I’m majoring in Economics with a minor in Nutritional Sciences and Communication. I would love to do some sort of Public Relations or Marketing with the health and fitness industry.
ZZ: What would you say to someone thinking of coming to study at the University of Arizona to explain how much you have gotten out of the school and why they should accept admission? Why would you want to be in the Arizona Wildcats Swim team?
Shannyn: Our school has a lot more to offer than people think! For example, our Business school is one of the top programs in the nation. Our professors really care and are willing to help you reach your goals. Especially as an athlete you have a ton of support and people who want to help you succeed. Plus, it never hurts to go to school where there is more than 350 days of sunshine.
Photo: Shannyn Hultin
ZZ: Did you attend any other sporting events? What’s your favorite and/or lucky Arizona Wildcat fan gear that you wear to games?
Shannyn: I’ve tried attending almost all other U of A sporting events. I’ve been to baseball, basketball, football, volleyball, gymnastics, tennis and track events.
I don’t have one particular favorite gear, but I love when we do “Red out” or “White out” at football and basketball games. It really shows how united and passionate our school is.
ZZ: Did you make friends with any other athletes at the U of A?
Shannyn: Yes! That is such a great and unique aspect of U of A athletics. All of our locker rooms, tutoring and study halls are in the same building so we interact with each other daily. I’ve made friends all the way from gymnastics to football.
ZZ: What was your biggest accomplishment as a swimmer over the last 4 years? What are you most proud of?
Shannyn: I think the accomplishment I am most proud of was when I finally qualified for NCAA. I went through a tough freshman year and dealt with a lot of teammates transferring out of our program. Just overall coming out of that rough patch was my biggest accomplishment.
ZZ: Did you take part in helping the football team with their Olympic games last year? We saw a lot of photos and videos of football players dive bombing into the pool, and swimming, etc.
Shannyn: No unfortunately! We were all away at a swim meet so we had to miss that. It was pretty impressive to see what some of them could do without any real training!
Photo: Shannyn Hultin
ZZ: Is there anyone at the University of Arizona you would like to give a shout out to?
Arizona Wildcats
Shannyn: There are so many people who helped me along the way and I am forever grateful! I am so thankful for teammates throughout the years who have all taught me so much. They made all of the hard workouts and early mornings much easier and enjoyable.
I would also like to thank one of my coaches, Brandy Maben, who has been right by my side through all the tough times and always kept believing in me. She is an incredible role model and genuinely cares about each swimmer and challenges them to grow both as a swimmer and a person.
My final thanks would be to my parents for supporting my dream to come to the University of Arizona. Since I was not given much of a scholarship at first and offered more at other schools, I know it was hard for them to justify sending me here, but I am so glad they did.
We thank Shannyn for spending time with ZonaZealots, and we hope to give more attention next year to the swim team, it seems we have all been missing out.
Beardown Shannyn!