Godwin Makes Splash at UMBC

By: Luke Jackson

Notre Dame Prep graduate Rebecca Godwin is furthering her high school swimming success onto the college stage at the University of Maryland Baltimore County.

Godwin will be a sophomore at UMBC in the fall and got off to a great start during her freshman year. Her events during the 2007-08 season included various distance freestyle, individual medley and breaststroke events.

The 5-foot-8 swimmer has obtained personal bests for the 100-yard IM (1 minute, 1.68 seconds), 200 IM (2:11.67), 400 IM (4:33.89), 100 freestyle (56.45), 200 freestyle (1:54.02), 500 freestyle (5:00.73), 1,000 freestyle (10:13.97), 1,650 freestyle (17:00.37), 100 breaststroke (1:10.59) and the 200 breaststroke (2:29.08).

Godwin has finished first in 11 of her 36 races -- nine of which have come in either the 500 or 1,000 freestyle. She has also been the first leg of four relay races, all of which have been in either the 100 or 200 freestyle.

"Rebecca is a very talented swimmer who works very hard for her results," said UMBC head swimming coach Chad Cradock, whose women's swim team won their second consecutive America East championship last season after going 4-4 on the year and beating Maryland. "She comes to work out every day and brings her very best."

The Catonsville native had a successful senior year at Notre Dame Prep, placing second in the 500 freestyle and third in the 200 individual medley at the 2007 National Catholic School Championships. She was a High School Scholastic All-American in 2005 and 2006 and an Interscholastic Athletic Association of Maryland All-Star in 2006 and 2007. She also played lacrosse and was an honor roll student.

But it's not just her talent and skill that have transitioned from high school to college.

"She is a very positive athlete that rubs off on all of our athletes," Cradock said. "She brightens the day for each of us and is a coach's dream."