William Alligood
“Harder, better, faster, stronger.”
Sophomore swimmer Anna Linkenauger taped up the words to Kanye West’s hit song “Stronger” in the women’s locker room as a motivational tool for the women’s swimming and diving team in the offseason. It has, according to Linkenauger, served its purpose. She said the team is indeed stronger than last season and is poised to improve on its performance from last season.
“This is the start of something great,” Linkenauger said. “We have really had a team transformation from last year. We are such stronger people, and we are stronger in the pool.”
After the Wolfpack finished a disappointing 10th place in the ACC last year, Linkenauger said the team was downtrodden but willing and ready to work and improve.
“We put in a lot of hard work, and it is slowly but surely coming our way. This summer we had 39 of our 60 swimmers stay and train,” Linkenauger said. “That is an absolutely phenomenal turnout for our team. That plays a big role in how we are at this point.”
As only a freshman last year, Linkenauger proved she was one of the better swimmers in the ACC, placing ninth in the 400 Individual Medley, which was good enough to qualify for the NCAAs. Linkenauger said it was her crowning achievement in swimming thus far because the 400 IM is widely known as the toughest and most competitive race.
“I gave it all that I had and ended up getting my NCAA meet cut at the ACC finals. It was a real motivator to me. People say it is the hardest race, and it is,” Linkenauger said. “You have to be tough; you have to want to swim it. It is a tough race, but it is my favorite because anything can happen.”
Linkenauger said she owes her versatility and ability to be proficient at several different strokes to competing in a variety of sports prior to joining the State swimming team.
“I have been swimming since age 7,” Linkenauger said. “I participated in a summer league team. I have always been involved in other sports. I played soccer and field hockey for three years and ran track for a year, and I think that played a big role in being versatile and has helped me become a better swimmer.”
Although Linkenauger has already proved to be a talented swimmer in the early stages of her career, women’s swimming coach Jacqui McLaughlin said she has only begun to tap into her potential.
“Anna brings a lot to our team. She is a very versatile athlete and very talented, and I definitely don’t think she is tapped out as far as her potential goes yet,” McLaughlin said. “I think she will continue to develop and grow over the next three years into one of the best swimmers in the ACC.”
McLaughlin attributed the team’s success in offseason workouts and practice to Linkenauger’s impassable positive work ethic and demeanor.
“She gives us a boost with her spirit as well. Anna is very positive, very focused and determined, and she is a great competitor. And she knows when she is on deck what is at stake, what she needs to do,” McLaughlin said. “She does a good job of helping the team stay focused on what our goals are and what we want to achieve in the season.”
Linkenauger echoed her coach’s sentiments and said her greatest contribution to the team other than her swimming is her positive outlook and attitude.
“My captain sent out an e-mail about positivity, and at the end of it she said, ‘If you need help with this, go see Anna,'” Linkenauger said. “I’m a really positive person, and when people are down I love to go over and help them bounce back.”
Linkenauger will look to improve her time this year, especially considering the 2008 Olympics are looming in the near future. But as for the team, Linkenauger hopes its hard work and dedication will pay off with a finish closer to the top of the ACC this year.
“I want to get faster. It is an Olympic year, so of course my goal is to get that qualifying time for the 400 IM. So that’s my No. 1 right now,” Linkenauger said.
For the team, it is to go out there and do our best. We can only go up from where we have been.”
While Linkenauger is a hard worker, McLaughlin said she has the ability to relax and enjoy herself as well. The coach said she hopes this combination of dedication to her sport as well as having fun doing it will translate into positive things in the swimmer’s future.
“I certainly expect her to keep rising to the top. She brings a lot of focus, but she is also a lot of fun,” McLaughlin said. “Even on occasion when she does get frustrated, she knows how to overcome that frustration and turn it into something positive in a workout. She definitely has the skills necessary to be really successful later in her career.”