Curzan Proved Dominance, But Her Finest is Nonetheless to Come at Virginia

Claire Curzan is as soon as once more on the pinnacle of swimming, and never simply because her Virginia Cavaliers received the NCAA championship.

It is a sense she actually hasn’t had, at the very least not utterly since making the Olympic staff at age 16.

That additionally was a pinnacle.

But like all younger athlete who reaches the top early on, Curzan’s profession has proven simply how tough it’s to remain there.

The previous 4 years have introduced many trials and challenges for Curzan, who began her collegiate profession at Stanford, solely to switch to Virginia, take an Olympic coaching redshirt yr and never make the 2024 Olympic staff.

It was devastating.

Slowly, she labored her approach again bodily, however mentally overcoming that devastation took even longer.

Curzan joined a Virginia staff that was the defending NCAA champion and knew the strain was off. She wouldn’t must be the face of the staff on a squad with the Walsh sisters.

With that strain off, Curzan broke the NCAA file within the 200 backstroke final yr. It was a pivotal swim in her profession, however was ignored a bit due to all of the eyes on Gretchen Walsh looking down information.

That pivotal swim gave Curzan a brand new wave of confidence that was essential coming into her junior yr this season as a result of with out the Walsh sisters, Curzan is the face of Virginia, and one of many faces of faculty swimming.

She constructed all season for this NCAA championships and has been in a zone not like she has ever skilled in her profession.

Curzan has been centered, decided and assured. Put all three of these components collectively and that’s robust to beat.

And Curzan was robust to beat. She received the 100 and 200 backstrokes (one hundreth of a second off her NCAA file within the 200) and completed second within the 100 butterfly to former Stanford teammate Torri Huske – the ultimate particular person battle of their collegiate careers with Huske graduating.

That confidence confirmed essentially the most after getting touched out by Huske. Curzan was not down on herself, although she possible was a bit of disillusioned. She discovered the angle of the second, which was attending to race Huske one final time.

“As good as she was last year, she has improved significantly in everything,” Virginia coach Todd DeSorbo mentioned. “I was shocked by the 20.8 50 freestyle after the backstroke. She has been terrific. Claire has taken that leadership role and (stepped into the sunlight).”

On the pool deck, on the blocks, on the rostrum, within the interview room, the main focus, dedication and confidence was plain to see simply by watching her eyes.

That will not be a spot many athletes get to – particularly within the interview room.

Curzan cruised from there by sweeping the backstroke occasions, successful all 4 relays she was part of, and main Virginia to a different NCAA title in a crossroads season for the Cavaliers, the place they proved to be higher than anybody anticipated – even themselves.

“I couldn’t be prouder of her,” teammate Anna Moesch mentioned. “I look up to her probably more than she even knows. Seeing her work her butt off every day in practice (is inspiring). I love watching her show off to the world what I see every day. I am so glad she is the leader of our team. She is such a powerful person (for our team).”

With yet another collegiate season to go, Curzan has confirmed she might be at her finest because the face of a staff, and subsequent yr, she would be the face of faculty swimming and chasing information.

And along with her focus, dedication and confidence that she confirmed this week, these information are going to fall.

But with Curzan main the younger upstart wave of Cavaliers, it doesn’t look like Virginia goes wherever.

Neither is Curzan.