Innisfail native Nicole Cossey is turning heads south of the border from the water and in the classroom.
The 21-year-old has claimed All-American honours twice at the recent National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) swimming and diving events held in Geneva, Ohio.
Cossey is a fourth year Simon Fraser University (SFU) swimmer who finished in second place in the 100-yard freestyle competition on the final day of the NCAA Swimming & Diving Championship on March 15.
Only American Ana Azambuja, with a pace of 48.94 seconds who set a NCAA record, topped her time of 49.25 seconds. Cossey's second place showing earned her All-American honours in the 100-yard division.
"I felt stronger and stronger as I moved through the race," said Cossey, who years to come back home to Innisfail this summer to be with her family. "I knew I had a chance to win and really pushed for the final wall. Everyone told me I was really moving. I just needed another two metres on the race to take it."
Three days earlier on March 12, Cossey finished sixth in the 50-yard freestyle event with a time of 23.21 seconds, 0.05 seconds behind her qualifying time of 23.16 seconds. Finishing in the top eight earned the Innisfail swimmer All-American honours for a second consecutive year.
"It was very nice to see Nicole Cossey really rise to this level," said head coach Liam Donnelly. "We managed to, on the merits of a very strong final session tonight, push into the top 20. It is a positive result but I know our team is hungry to push back into the top 10 next year."
Cossey also swims with the SFU Clan's 400-yard medley relay team and 800-yard freestyle relay team that finished ninth (consolation final winner) and 12th overall.
The Innisfail athlete was also honoured by the SFU Clan organization as the 2014 Female Athlete of the year, and the Scholar Athlete award for her 3.86 grade point average to lead all Clan upper classmen (junior or senior) on March 27 in Vancouver.
Narsh Ramrattan, vice principal at Innisfail Jr/Sr High, said Cossey is a quiet, unassuming student most people would never expect to be an elite athlete and a high achieving student.
“She would train in the morning before school for the Red Deer Catalina Swim Club and then come to school for the rest of the day,” said Ramrattan. “She had learned how to balance academics and athletics successfully at an early age.”
He noted Cossey was named class valedictorian in 2011, foreshadowing her future success.
Glenn Cossey, Nicole's father, said his daughter hung around a good group of kids.
“She swam with the Innisfail Dolphins until she was 13 and then she joined the Red Deer Catalina Swim Club,” added Glenn. “Her mother, Cindy, and I found our time driving her around to competitions and practices very satisfying and a lot of fun. “
Nicole said she enjoys the sense of accomplishment when she finishes a tough race or practice.
“My team at SFU, the Clan, is very supportive and like my second family,” said the athlete. “We spend a lot of time together.”
When asked about what she values about swimming for the university in Burnaby, she added, “Swimming on the relay team is always a highlight for me as it is a team sport and I tend to swim faster during relays. The team is important, not the individual.”
Cossey's academic intentions are to pursue her masters in either straight mathematics or statistics and work in a math-related field that is not teaching. She has one year of university left for her bachelor's degree.
“Swimming has helped me academically,” said Cossey. “Even as a younger swimmer, I had to learn time management skills to finish my assignments before I had meets somewhere. University is no different, my assignments just get harder.”
Cossey tried out for the Olympic team in 2012 and found out she still had a long way to go to earn top podium levels and an invitation to the team but she still welcomes the opportunity to do so.
Until then, she is focusing on the Pan Pacific Games tryouts in Victoria being held from April 2 to 5.
“I have another year of swimming eligibility with the Clan left,” said Cossey. “After that, we will see what swimming opportunities come my way.”
