Michelle Pelka

Butterfly/Freestyle/IM
Junior
Elgin, Ill. (Elgin Academy)

2009:  Finished fourth in the 400 individual medley (Carthage-record 4:25.24 seconds, besting her school record of 4:29.86) and eighth in the 200 butterfly (Carthage-record 2:05.14) at the NCAA Division III Women’s Swimming Championship to earn College Swimming Coaches of America All-American honors…part of a sixth-place NCAA team in the 200 freestyle relay and an eight-place team in the 400 freestyle relay…won three events at the CCIW Swimming Championship, taking first place in the 200 butterfly (Carthage-record 2:05.59), the 200 individual medley (CCIW and Carthage-record 2:07.66) and the 400 individual medley (CCIW and Carthage-record 4:29.96)…part of conference-championship relay teams in the 200 freestyle, the 400 freestyle, the 200 medley and the 400 medley…took first place in both the 200 individual medley (meet-record 2:14.71) and the 400 individual medley at the Wisconsin Private College Championship.

2008:  Finished 17th in the 200 butterfly and 18th in the 400 individual medley (4:37.12) at the NCAA Division III Women’s Swimming Championship …part of three NCAA relay teams…named Carthage’s first-ever CCIW “Women’s Most Valuable Swimmer” for winning three events at the CCIW Swimming Championship, taking first place in the 200 butterfly (2:08.48), the 200 individual medley (2:10.24) and the 400 individual medley (4:30.94)…also part of a conference-champion 200 medley relay team…named CCIW “Swimmer of the Week” after winning four events at Kalamazoo on Nov. 17 and setting school records in both the 200 butterfly (2:11.53) and the 400 individual medley (4:42.68)…named CCIW “Swimmer of the Week” again on Jan. 22 after winning four events at the Jan. 18-19 Grinnell Invitational and setting school records in the 200 butterfly (2:09.85), the 200 individual medley (2:13.40) and the 400 individual medley (4:39.60)…won three events at the Wisconsin Private College Championship, taking first place in the 200 butterfly (2:10.45), the 200 individual medley (meet-record 2:14.50) and the 400 individual medley (meet-record 4:41.13).

High School:  A state qualifier her senior year…coached by Greg Lake…a six-time qualifier for the YMCA nationals…National Honor Society member.

Personal:  Double major in biology and chemistry…sister of Bryan Pelka, a senior on the 2008-09 Carthage men’s swimming team…named winter 2009 CCIW/Jack Swartz all-academic…named to the Carthage dean’s list three times and a two-semester member of the Carthage athletic director’s honor roll…born Sept. 16, 1988.