RIVERDALE, N.Y. – In the next installment of the seventh inning stretch,
Mackenzie Tuttle spoke to GoJaspers.com to discuss her relationship with swimming and her time as a Jasper.
Tuttle finished eighth in the 200-yard free at last year's MAAC Championships. The 2023 MAAC Swimming and Diving Championships gets underway on Wednesday at Eric County Community College in Buffalo, N.Y.
Tuttle and the Jasper women get underway on Wednesday at 6 p.m. for the finals of the first five events; men's & women's 200 medley relay, men's 1m diving, and men's and women's 800 free relay.
1. How old were you when you started playing your sport?
I started swimming competitively at age 10, but I have always loved the water since I was little.
2. How did you come to swim your best stroke?
My best stroke is freestyle, whether distance, sprints, or middle distance. I tried everything when I was younger, but freestyle was the stroke that has always come easiest to me. In high school, freestyle events were where I was needed for the team to be the best it could be, and it just stuck with me.
3. What is your favorite memory of competing as a Jasper?
I have a lot of great memories with the Jaspers, but the best was last year at our spring ECAC meet at the Naval Academy. On the last night of the meet, our women's 400 free relay team had a head-to-head battle with JMU. We were all excited throughout the day, and everyone was getting us hyped up to break our school record. I was last on the relay, which is always exciting because I get to stand there and watch the other three legs swim before it's my turn. We were neck and neck with JMU the entire time, and we were slightly behind when I dove in, so I knew I had some work to do. I gave it everything I had, and we beat them by the slightest bit and absolutely wrecked our previous school record. The team was cheering and hugging, which is always the best feeling. It was also special because the former coach of Manhattan, Coach Walter Olsewski, was there, and he gave me one of the original swim caps to congratulate me on having the fastest relay split in Manhattan history. That was a moment I'll never forget.
4. What is 1 item you can't live without when you travel for away meets/trips, and why?
I'm not sure. I'd probably say a pack of gum since I always swim practice and meet warm-ups with a piece of gum.
5. Do you have any game-day rituals? If so, what are they?
I don't really have any.
6. What advice would you give to your younger self about playing at the collegiate level?
It's going to be tough, a lot of early mornings, but definitely do it because of the friends you will make and the bonds you create. I wouldn't trade it for the world.
7. Who is your role model, and why?
My role model is probably my mom. I've always looked up to her, and, especially as I get older, I trust her opinion on things.
For the latest on the Manhattan College men's and women's swimming and diving programs, follow the Jaspers on Instagram and Twitter @JasperSwimDive.
