“Welcome to the Team” is a Q&A series where the Collegian sits down with first-year student-athletes who are entering their first season at Butler University. These articles will address why they chose Butler, what they hope to get out of this season and some personal tidbits that you won’t find anywhere else.
This week, staff reporter Molly Scheuer sat down with four first-years from the women’s swim team: Kaya Robertson, Jenna Ridings, Ashton Mumaw and Lilly Canida.
Kaya Robertson is a free swimmer from Ocoee, Fla. Photo by Faith Delamarter.
THE BUTLER COLLEGIAN: Why did you choose Butler?
KAYA ROBERTSON: I chose Butler because it gave me both academic and athletic challenges. [The school] just thrives in both areas. I love the team culture of swimming, and I love the physician assistant program. It’s exceptional.
TBC: How did you become interested in swimming?
KR: My mom swam in college [at the University of Hawai’i], but I started out by doing gymnastics. I was actually really against swimming, but my mom made me do it. Unfortunately, she was right. I [ended up] loving it.
TBC: Who has been a mentor or role model in swimming for you?
KR: I would definitely say my mom. She’s the one who got me into the sport, and I wouldn’t be in the sport without her. She’s always pushed me to go after my goals, no matter how big or small they are. She always has my back, no matter what.
TBC: If you could have dinner with three swimmers, who would they be?
KR: Regan Smith, Kate Douglass and Gretchen Walsh.
Jenna Ridings is a free and fly swimmer from St. Louis, Mo. Photo By Faith Delamarter.
TBC: Why did you decide to come to Butler?
JENNA RIDINGS: I decided to come to Butler because I wanted to be [out of state]. I’m from St. Louis, but it’s still close enough for my family to come see me. When I came for my recruitment visit, I really liked the team. I also liked the academic success that students get [from Butler] and their grad school.
TBC: How did you get into competitive swimming?
JR: I started swimming in a summer league when I was six because my sisters both did it, and it kind of stuck [from there]. I joined a club team, and then never [looked back]. It was between [swimming] and gymnastics, and I chose to swim.
TBC: What is your favorite swim memory?
JR: My [club] team went on training trips every year. We went to Fort Myers for my junior year training trip, and it was my last year with that club team, so it was really sentimental. That was one of the most fun trips I’ve ever been on.
TBC: What is your biggest pet peeve?
JR: Loud chewing!
Ashton Mumaw is a free and fly swimmer from Columbus, Ohio. Photo by Blake Price.
TBC: Why did you pick Butler?
ASHTON MUMAW: I picked Butler because of the balance. I liked how I could swim while focusing on my academics, and the team culture was a huge selling point.
TBC: How did you get into competitive swimming?
AM: I started out with summer league, and then decided in third grade that I would try it throughout the whole year and do winter [swim]. I grew up doing soccer and swimming, even throughout high school. I tried to balance both for as long as I could until my junior year when I decided just to stick with swimming. I [swam with] my high school and my club [team].
TBC: What is your pre-swim ritual or superstition?
AM: I have to sleep; I have to go to bed at like nine. I also have to have some sort of caffeine. I have to have an Alani or a sugar-free Red Bull.
TBC: What is your dream vacation, and who would you bring with you?
AM: My dream vacation would be going to Europe and I would bring my mom.
Lilly Canida is a sprint, free and fly swimmer from Madison, Ind. Photo by Blake Price.
TBC: Why did you pick Butler?
LILLY CANIDA: I picked Butler because I really liked the size, and I wanted a [Division I] school that wasn’t too big. They had a super good team culture, which I really liked. They also have a really good business school, which is my major, so I like that, and it was also a good distance from home.
TBC: How did you get into competitive swimming?
LC: I started swimming when I was six years old. My dad was a swimmer, so that’s where I picked it up from. I’ve been swimming my whole life.
TBC: What is your favorite swim event?
LC: Probably 50 fly, which is not an official event at the Big East [Championships], but that [event is] fun.
TBC: If you could be a Division I athlete for another sport, what would it be?
LC: I would say gymnastics because they’re really buff and I want to be able to do a backflip.