BUIES CREEK, N.C. – Katarina Gagnon knew from the time that she was an elementary school student in South Jersey that she wanted to compete for a collegiate swim team.
 
The daughter of a collegiate swimmer, and sibling of two college swimmers, "Kat" first competed in the sport at the age of four.  Nearly 18 years later, she is not only a captain on Campbell's swim team, but also an honors student carrying a double major with a goal of becoming an occupational therapist.
 
That connection with the swimming community not only led her to Campbell, but has followed her through four seasons of competition, provided a place to belong in and out of the sport, helped prepare her for graduate school and her chosen profession while making friendships that will last long after she graduates in May.
 
A swimming family
To say that South Jersey is a swimming hotbed would be an understatement.  Kat's grandfather, Robert Rueppel, started a team at Old Orchard swim club in Cherry Hill, N.J., - one of 36 competing at the time in the Tri-County region.
 
Her mother, Suzanne, swam at Old Orchard and collegiately, then coached on the club level.  Her older sister, Kayla, swam at West Virginia and her older brother Robert competed at both Rowan and Rochester Institute of Technology.
 
Kat was just four years old when she participated in her first official swim race.
 
"Ever since then I've been in love with the sport," she said.
 
She was involved with Girl Scouts, soccer, water polo, softball, basketball and track, but none of those pursuits held her attention like swimming.
 
"My mom swam at St. Bonaventure and my uncle (Robert Rueppel) is a college  coach at Middlebury, so I always knew about the world of college swimming," said Kat, a senior from Voorhees, N.J.  "When I was in elementary school, my sister started the recruiting process and I thought that was really cool to be able to go to college and pursue the sport you love."
 
Why Campbell?
Kat narrowed her college search to about 20 schools that matched her desire to swim with her intended major.  She visited the University of North Texas (enrollment 46,000) in suburban Dallas and Towson (19,000) outside of Baltimore before deciding on a smaller environment that combined her passions and goals a seven-hour drive South on I-95.
 
Her interaction with coach Zachary Bagby made Gagnon interested in scheduling a visit.  That time on campus sealed her decision to choose Campbell to pursue her academic and athletic career.
 
"I remember how passionate (Bagby) was about the program," said Kat.  He wanted me to come down here on a recruiting trip and get to meet all the people on the team. Everyone always says that when you step foot on a campus, you'll know that it's right for you, and I actually didn't believe that until I stepped foot on Campbell's campus.  I knew the school was the right fit for me."
 
The closeness of the team members along with the fact that the coaches and athletes stress academic performance were two of the deciding factors for Gagnon, who has earned CAA Commissioner's Honor Roll status each semester since Campbell joined the league in the summer of 2023.
 
Campbell's pre-occupational therapy track also played a major role in the decision for Gagnon, who is a double major in exercise & sports science/pre-occupational therapy and sport coaching.
 
As an occupational therapist, Gagnon's job will be to do whatever she can to adapt an environment or a person to do whatever they can to get back to doing that activity after an injury, illness or disability.  The field encompasses the physical, mental, emotional aspects of a person's wellbeing.
 
Gagnon is grateful for the academic and athletic aid that allows her to not only compete at the NCAA Division I level, but to pursue her studies and prepare for a service-oriented career.
 
"My scholarships mean everything to me," said Gagnon.  "When I first looked at the ticket price of Campbell, I didn't think I was going to be able to come here.  But I applied, got my academic scholarship right after I was admitted, and found out that it could work (financially).  The coaching staff worked to make this an option for me.  I wouldn't be able to attend Campbell if it wasn't for our generous donors who have supported both our athletic and academic sides."
 
The generosity of Fighting Camel fans, alumni, family, and friends truly makes a difference in the lives of student-athletes at Campbell University.  Through the Women's Empowerment Fund, the Fighting Camel Club's goal is to make that experience even better, specifically for our female student-athletes.  To join the Fighting Camel Club, click here.
 
Going the distance
Similarly to her older brother Robert, Kat competes in the 500-yard freestyle, the mile and the 200 backstroke. 
 
My mom was a back stroker, my aunt, the first swimmer of the family, was a back stroker," said Kat, who first swam the 500, a 20-lap distance, in middle school.  She competed in the mile (66 laps) for the first time as an eighth-grader.
 
During her collegiate career, she has worked to improve her time.  She scored in all three events at the 2025 Coastal Athletic Association Championships.
 
"I've worked harder than I ever have in my life this past season and to see that work in the weight room and the pool pay off so dramatically, there's nothing that beats that feeling," she said.
 
According to Gagnon, swimming the grueling mile (1650 yards) distance is as much of a mental challenge as it is physically demanding.
 
"There's nothing that compares to the pain you are going to experience in the mile. Going so fast and flipping so often. The more positive thoughts you have going into the race and throughout the race, the less you feel all the physical sensations that hurt so bad and not knowing if you can finish," she said.  "I focus one lap at a time, consistency with my splits throughout, and my coaches and teammates on the side get me through it."
 
Sometimes she would listen to "If you're going through Hell" by Rodney Atkins before competition and repeat the lyrics "keep on moving, don't slow down" throughout her race.  She also will focus on scripture, especially Philippians 4:13 "I can do all things through Christ, who strengthens me" as well as repeating affirmations like "I'm capable of achieving my goals, I've done this a million times before, I'm getting through this" as the laps tick off.
 
"Obviously, your time plays a big role in how you feel about a race," said Kat.  "When you're going to put in 17 minutes or more into a race, you want to see the time drop.  It's hard to finish and see if you've missed your best time by one second and know that if you did one thing a little better each lap, you'd knock seconds off that time."
 
Her daily routine
The life of a collegiate swimmer begins well before dawn many days.
"On Monday, Wednesday and Friday in season, we train for an hour and a half," said Gagnon.  "We're on the pool deck at 5:45 a.m. to stretch and jump in the water at 6 for practice. We lift (weights) from 2-3 p.m., then swim again from 3-4:30."
 
Tuesday and Thursday sessions include an hour of out-of-water training, plus 90 minutes of swimming.  Saturdays are meet days, or a three-hour practice session that includes two hours in the pool.
 
"It requires hard work, grit and determination, but I still smile every time I'm in the water," said Gagnon of the life of a collegiate swimmer.  "I truly love the sport – and that's hard to say for somebody's who's been doing it competitively for almost 18 years – but it's my connection to my family, how I've met most of my friends in my life."
 
She loves the camaraderie of being on a team as well as the tangible evidence of improving.
 
"It's a whole lot easier when there's 23 other girls in the water with you, in the weight room with you, pushing you to be the best version of yourself. I truly wouldn't be who I am without those people and the sport," said Kat.  "There's nothing that beats touching the wall and seeing that you've dropped even point zero-one seconds."
 
Sharing her love for the sport
Like many competitive swimmers, Gagnon got her start in coaching while teaching beginning swim lessons during the summers.  She started helping out at the age of 12 and began coaching with her mother at Tavistock Hills swim club when she was 17.  Last summer – her first as head coach at Tavistock Hills – Gagnon led her team of about 100 swimmers to not only a 5-0 dual meet record but also a divisional promotion.
 
"I'm getting to share what I love to do," said Kat.  "Water safety is so important to me, fostering that in kids and the love of the sport and what people invested in me when I was growing up really drives me."
 
Leading in the pool and on campus
Gagnon was chosen as a team captain for the 2025-26 season in a vote of last year's graduates, returning teammates and the coaching staff.  She appreciates the opportunity to share her experience – especially since she looked up to previous captains during her earlier years.
 
Kat has also been involved with Campbell's Student-Athlete Advisory Committee since her sophomore year and particularly enjoys her role with the community engagement subcommittee.
 
"The subcommittee involves our student-athletes with the community around us, oftentimes with the elementary schools," said Kat. 
 
The SAAC sponsors "Operation Christmas Camel" each year to provide gifts for underprivileged children in the area. Gagnon also enjoys the "Polar Plunge" to benefit Special Olympics for North Carolina, but another SAAC initiative is especially important to her and her family.
 
Kat lost her uncle, Keith Bailey, to leukemia, and she understands more than most that promoting the annual bone marrow registration drive through Project Life Movement can be a lifeline for those who suffer with blood disorders.
 
Campbell connections
In addition to focusing on her current competitive and academic pursuits, Gagnon has also made connections with several Campbell alumni who are in the occupational therapy field.  The team's Alumni meet earlier in the semester drew 18 Campbell grads back to Buies Creek for a day of friendly competition as well as interaction with current team members.
 
Recent alums Amanda Charleston and Julia Sherlock have provided invaluable advice as Gagnon goes through the process of applying to graduate school and later entering the job market.
 
"Swimming connects people, and there's an instant bond with somebody," said Gagnon.  "I feel like in some capacity I'll always be involved in the sport."
 
Making the most of her time
The work ethic and time management skills required of a collegiate swimmer and student-athlete are strengths that Gagnon will use throughout life.
 
"The effort I put forth into my sport and the effort I put in the classroom help each other out," she said.  "I feel like if you go through life having that philosophy, you're going to be more successful.  I put everything I have into everything I do."
 
Similar to many other college students, Gagnon enjoys hanging out with my friends, taking a study break at Cookout and watching movies.  She also enjoys painting and reading to nurture her creative side.
 
It was a teammate – Lauren McLean – who invited Kat to join her at church on Sunday mornings.
 
"I have always been a Christian, but when I came to college, it's really easy to sleep in on Sunday," Gagnon admitted.  "My best friend invited me to church, and it's really impacted my life. I know that Jesus has a plan for me and no matter what happens swimming and school wise, I'm going to be ok because I know Jesus and believe in him."
 
In addition to feeding her spiritual growth, Gagnon has added an extra "family" through Summit Church in Fuquay-Varina.  "Some of the people I've met in church on Sundays, I now babysit for on Wednesday nights during their small group Bible study. Through their "Adopt a Campbell Student" program, they have us over for dinner once a month and provide us with community and support.  It's like having 'second parents' here."
 
In addition to SAAC, Gagnon is also a member of Psi Chi, the psychology international honor society, and Omicron Delta Kappa, the national leadership honors society.  She also finds community in Buies Creek, N.C., as an avid fan of the Philadelphia Eagles.
 
"If you have an Eagles shirt on and you see someone else with one, even in Creek Coffee, I'll say 'Go Birds!' and they'll 'Go Birds!" right back."
 
Finding a place to be involved is at the top of Gagnon's advice list to those just starting their collegiate career.
 
"Get involved," she said.  "You can't just go to a school and expect to fit in. You have to find your people.  Find different ways to be involved whether it's through church, a club, activity or intramural sport or whatever is your thing.  You can find a group of people anywhere you go that you can connect with on something as simple as the Philadelphia Eagles.  The college experience is what you make of it.  You can't sit back and let life happen to you."
 
A grateful heart
Gagnon is quick to credit her swim coaches, Bagby and Alejandro Robles Ruiz, along with strength and conditioning coach Hector Ortiz and the entire athletic training staff for their daily efforts.
 
"Both of our coaches are the most supportive people I've ever had the pleasure of working with," she said.  "They want to see us succeed more than most of the girls on the team ever thought was even possible. They dream bigger than we could ever imagine.  Hector has put everything he has into making us stronger, and I feel that when I'm swimming, I get more distance from my walls than I've ever been able to.  Our athletic trainers have been amazing keeping us healthy."
Gagnon knows without a doubt that she made the right decision to choose Campbell for her academic and athletic pursuits.
 
"I've had such a great experience at Campbell; it's definitely shaped who I am today," she said.  "There's no place like Campbell. Everyone here from the professors to the coaches and staff are so encouraging and they want to see you succeed.  You have to be willing to put in the work to do that, but they are lifting you up every step of the way."