Editor's Note: The Marist Athletics Department is continuing to highlight its Senior Awards finalists. From April 20-May 15, a feature story will be presented on each finalist for Sportsperson of the Year.
Sportsperson Finalists: Megan Fergus (Volleyball) | Sydney Ford (Women's Rowing) | Alana Gilmer (Women's Basketball) | Denise Grohn (Women's Cross Country/Track) | Rebekah Hand (Women's Basketball) | Samantha Mehalick (Women's Lacrosse) | Anais Mathes (Water Polo) | Ali Milam (Softball)
Previous finalists: Female Strength & Conditioning (April 14) | Male Strength & Conditioning (April 15) | Female Pizzani (April 16) | Male Pizzani (April 17)
POUGHKEEPSIE, New York –
Juliet Nowak of the Marist women's swimming and diving team has been named the latest finalist for the athletics department's Female Sportsperson of the Year award.
The heralded backstroker from Secaucus, NJ may have only swam for the Red Foxes for three seasons, but she used those three seasons to make a lasting impact on the program.
Nowak set two program records in her senior year, and is now one of only a handful of swimmers who have the distinction of owning two program records in different events. At this year's Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference Championships, Nowak clocked in with a time of 25.94 in the 50-yard back portion of the 200-yard medley relay. She helped lead her team to a bronze medal in the event, while setting a program record in the process. Her other program record came in the 100-yard backstroke competition, also in this year's MAAC Championships. She finished with a time of 55.64 in the event, picking up her second bronze medal of the competition in Buffalo, NY.
"Setting program records makes me feel like I have accomplished what I set out to do when I first decided to swim in college," Nowak said. "During my senior year of high school, I was really unsure of what I wanted to do next, and would never have thought that I would be competing against some of the fastest swimmers in a division-one athletic conference. I know that there is always room for improvement, so this isn't the end, however I am extremely grateful and humbled to now be up there with some of the greatest swimmers in program history."
Nowak's career hasn't been just about the program records, either. After dominating a meet against the Bryant Bulldogs earlier this year, Nowak was named MAAC Swimmer of the Week. This was the first, and only, MAAC weekly award of her career. In the competition, she helped lead her 200-yard medley relay squad to a first-place finish, clocking in with a time of 28.01 in the 50-yard back portion of the event. She then went on to take first place in the 100-yard back, finishing with a time of 59.23. She concluded the meet with 14 points, leading the team.
Other accolades for Nowak include a fifth-place finish in the 200-yard back at the 2020 ECAC Championships, and a second-place finish in the same event at the 2020 MAAC Championships. Earlier in the year, she won the 100-yard back competition at the H20unds Invitational. Back at the 2019 MAAC Championships, Nowak won the silver medal in the 50-yard backstroke, and finished fourth in the 200-yard back. She was also named to the MAAC All-Academic Team both seasons in which she was eligible.
Through all of the accomplishments, Nowak has managed to leave a lasting impact on the program, as well as VanWagner. "Juliet is the most perfect student athlete to coach," he said. "Her approach to athletics is very cerebral. She is extremely easy to communicate with, and I have never seen her get upset about a performance, which I find very refreshing. She has the ability to realize her true individual potential, more so than many other student-athletes, as evidenced by her tremendous improvements that she has made over her three short years with us. Going forward, I will use her as example for other swimmers about how it is possible to reach your true inner potential."'
Nowak's journey to Marist was not that of a typical student-athlete. She didn't start swimming for the Red Foxes in 2016 like the rest of her fellow senior class.
Nowak decided to begin her college experience at Binghamton University, at which she spent a year. Immediately, she began to question her choice, as she wasn't too big a fan of the large school size. She didn't feel like she was able to build good relationships with the staff and professors, as they had too much on their plates. Nowak hoped to walk on to the Binghamton swim team in order to help make her feel like she was at home. She had either All-Conference or All-county honors in 29 different events throughout her four years of high school, so she decided she wanted to get back to work.
In the end, contrary to what you may think, Nowak did not swim for the Bearcats. In fact, she was actually left off the squad when she tried to walk-on to the roster. This still perplexes Head Coach
Larry VanWagner to this day.
"I found it very, very interesting that Nowak was unable to make the Binghamton team," VanWagner said. "The head coach of the Bearcats, who is no longer there, told Juliet that she wasn't good enough to make the swimming and diving team, which I guess I can only describe as interesting. But thankfully, she continued swimming on her own her freshman year, with the desire of transferring."
Thus, Nowak began the transfer process. She was hoping to land at a college she could swim at. The backstroker decided to give Marist a look, and was immediately impressed. "When I came on my recruiting trip to Marist, I was extremely impressed by the amazing facilities, beautiful campus, and welcoming swim team," Nowak said. "Everyone was so friendly and approachable, and very supportive in terms of being a transfer student. That was one thing that I was nervous about when transferring schools. Since I was no longer a first-year student out of high school, I was worried the kids wouldn't be as welcoming."
When she got to Marist, Nowak knew she made the right call. Marist was a place she actually got to build relationships with professors and workers on campus, something that Binghamton lacked. She described walking into the Hancock Brewery or Donnelly Café every day, seeing familiar faces with whom she was able to build lasting relationships with. That welcoming feeling, she noted, made Marist feel more like a second home. "What I liked most about Marist is the fact that everyone wants to see you be successful. Whether it's in athletics or academics, people are always pushing you to be the best."
MAAC and ECAC Championship competitions were the highlight of Nowak's Marist tenure. Those meets were something she could look forward to each and every year, undoubtedly containing her favorite memories.
Something about the atmosphere of the championship style meets, specifically the MAAC Championships, was unmatched by anything throughout her career. Being surrounded by cheering teammates, in what was an extremely hostile environment with all of the other schools in the conference also cheering for their swimmers, was what made it all worth it for her. Every 5 a.m. practice, every double or triple practice, every lift session, all of it paid off at the MAAC Championships. "There is so much energy and adrenaline in the building, it is incredible," Nowak said. "You The MAAC Championships is really an experience like no other. The crowd, the teams, and everyone having that same energy from beginning to end of a long four days of competition, it is truly a memory that will last a lifetime."
But it wasn't just the competitions that made a lasting impact on Nowak. It was also the fact that she got to spend all four days of the event with all of her teammates, also known as her best friends. Having them by her side in the natatorium helped her feel unstoppable in the water, but getting to spend four days with them in a hotel was also just as memorable. "The team just has a great aura surrounding them," Nowak said. "The atmosphere is great to be around, everyone on the team brings something different to the table, and that is what I love most about them. It's like one big melting pot of love."
The fact that she performed so well in the competitions, winning multiple silver medals and setting program records, was icing on the cake.
Since Nowak did not swim her freshman year at Binghamton, she still has an additional year of eligibility remaining. She has decided to exercise the opportunity to return to Marist, and will be returning to the Red Fox roster for the 2020-2021 season.
The end goal for Nowak, like it is for so many student-athletes, is winning a MAAC Championship. She was won three silver medals at the MAAC Championships throughout her career, and would love to add a gold medal to the resume. Ultimately though, it is about the team. Nowak will be leading off many relays for the Red Foxes again next season as the team's main backstroker. She would love to help lead the Red Foxes to a first-place finish as a team next season.
Ahead of the 2020-21 season, Nowak has been named one of five captains. The oldest member of the team heading into the new year, Nowak will be looked up to by all of her fellow teammates. Although the captain title is new, leadership is something that is not new for her. She displayed incredible leadership qualities as a senior last season VanWagner noted, which helped to ensure him that she would make an excellent team captain, a role which she is highly anticipating.
I'm extremely excited to have Juliet back for another year," VanWagner said. "She is coming off a year of swimming at an extremely high level, and I can only see her improving again next season. I can't wait to get to work with her again, and specifically, get to work with her in a leadership role as captain. Even though we have other great backstrokers, nobody is currently in the class of Juliet. Knowing that she will be coming back is a tremendous plus for next year's women's swimming and diving team.
Although returning for another year, there is still no question about the legacy Nowak will be leaving on the program. Even then, she still has one more season to build upon that legacy. She has the adoration of all of her fellow teammates, and has the success in the pool to back it up. No matter how she finishes her career next season, she will be missed greatly when she leaves.
"Juliet transferred from Binghamton University, having not qualified for its women's swimming team, to Marist College as a walk-on," VanWagner said. "In three short years, she has progressed to the runner-up in the 200-yard backstroke at the 2020 MAAC Championships. Along the way, she became a two-time school record holder. We are blessed to have Juliet return next season as team captain for the 2020-21 season."
