GREENSBORO, N.C. – Anna Durak of the Loras College women's swimming team is set to compete at the NCAA Division III Swimming and Diving Championships beginning on Wednesday, March 19 and concluding on Saturday, March 22 at the Greensboro Aquatic Center in Greensboro, N.C.

Durak is the first women's swimmer to qualify and race in the national meet since the 1980s. She has made an impact inside the pool and on the swimming and diving program as a whole in such a short amount of time.

"She has been a tremendously positive influence on the team," said head coach Nick Wyllie. "Having someone with her experience as a peer pushing them in practice every day has helped them break boundaries, they didn't believe they were previously capable of."

The Hickory, N.C. native shattered both school and American Rivers Conference records in the 200-yard IM, the 100-yard backstroke and the 200-yard backstroke. She finished in the top 20 in each event nationally, earning her a spot in all three events at the championships this week.

"I never expected to perform the way I have this season and qualifying for nationals is the icing on the cake to this beautiful journey," said Durak. "Honestly, my main goal is to enjoy this final meet. I want to have fun and celebrate a journey that has honestly been 20 years in the making. I am finally out of eligibility, so this really is it and I just want to enjoy the sport that has given me so much throughout my life. I will be thrilled with whatever the results are from the meet and just want to make the Duhawks proud."

Durak began her collegiate swimming career at Princeton University, but ended her time as a Tiger having lost the love for the sport and in pain with what she was told were career-ending injuries. She did not compete for two years as she rehabbed all her injuries and began her life post-graduation. She decided to apply to Loras to complete a post-baccalaureate before applying to physical therapy programs. The summer before she began classes at Loras, her swimming coach growing up, Jon Jolley, passed away, sparking her interest in giving back to the sport in some way. Coach Wyllie convinced her to use her final year of eligibility and compete for the Duhawks.

"Despite all of the success that I have found this season between actual lifetime bests, competing in new events, and breaking a few records, I am most grateful to the people that have taught me how to enjoy the work and show me that I am not defined by what I previously viewed as limitations," said Durak. "As this crazy ride starts to wind down, I am so grateful for the opportunities that Loras has afforded me. It has been a privilege to rewrite the end of this narrative with joy and connection."

Durak checks in at No. 15 in the 200-yard IM prelims with a 2:03.77, while she enters the 100-yard backstroke prelims as the 14^th seed with a time of 55.53. The fifth year rounds out her qualifying events as the 13^th seed in the 200-yard backstroke with a 2:00.73.

Durak will compete in the 200-yard IM on Wednesday morning, the 100-yard backstroke on Friday morning and the 200-yard backstroke on Saturday morning with each preliminary round beginning at 10 a.m ET. Finals sessions will be held at 6 p.m. ET with the top eight swimmers earning All-American status.

This will be the first appearance at the National Championships for both Wyllie and Durak.

"I'm excited because this meet is so hard to qualify for and everyone that made the meet is extremely close together in seed times," said Wyllie. "That creates close races across the board and a super competitive environment that I am looking forward to being a part of."

Durak concludes her swim career in her home state of North Carolina, just an hour and a half from where she grew up.

"It is so beautiful to end my swimming career at the Greensboro Aquatic Center (GAC) since so many of my greatest accomplishments have occurred at this pool," said Durak. "Some of my fondest memories have happened here and I haven't raced there since 2018. There were many swim camps, Junior Olympics, Y-Nationals, my first senior Nationals, some of my best times, and memories made throughout the years at GAC. It feels like a gift, and I am so excited to be able to celebrate the culmination of my 20 year long journey in the place it all started."

Check out the Championship Central page for ticket information, results and live video all week long.