Background
Joining the inaugural swim team at UNC Asheville just three years ago, Alessandra Troncoso has made a name for herself in the record books as a standout swimmer. Scoring points left and right since she first stepped on the pool deck as a freshman, Troncoso has dominated the breaststroke events for Asheville.
Troncoso was born and raised in Burke, Virginia where she grew up with her parents and her sisters, Isabella, Gabriella and Gianna.
Already showing talents as a breaststroker at age eight, Troncoso developed her stroke to become an asset for her club teams, Sea Devil Swimming and Machine Aquatics.
While attending Lake Braddock Secondary School, Troncoso earned All-American honors as a standout freshman. She would go on to place second in the 100 breaststroke at Regional Championships, qualifying for Junior Nationals. For her club program, she placed 15th in the 100 breaststroke at the Southern California Grand Prix, swimming with Olympian, Rebecca Soni.
Freshman Year
In the first season for the Bulldogs, Troncoso’s individual points were essential for the new program. In four dual meets, she earned first place points in the 200 breaststroke. At five dual meets, she earned first place points sprinting to the finish in the 100 breaststroke. Troncoso’s winning streak showed no signs of weakness when the Blue and White traveled to the Highlander Invitational. Troncoso made finals in all four of her events, earning valuable first place points in the 100 and 200 breaststrokes. At the 2013 Coastal Collegiate Swimming Association Conference Championships, Troncoso shattered her own team records in the 100 and 200 breaststrokes. Touching the wall at 1:02.84 in the 100 breaststroke earned her a spot in the A final and a National cut time. Troncoso touched the wall at 2:18.36 in the 200 breaststroke, also qualifying for A finals.
Sophomore Year
Troncoso showed no sign of slowing down after her freshman year. At six dual meets, she earned first place points in the 100 breaststroke for the Bulldogs. At five dual meets, Troncoso touched the wall first in the 200 breaststroke. When Asheville traveled to the Highlander Invitational again, Troncoso earned second place points in the 100 breaststroke and defended her title in the 200 breaststroke. At the 2014 CCSA Conference Championships, Troncoso placed in the top sixteen in the 100 and 200 breaststroke races as Asheville’s highest scorer in those events.
Junior Year
Troncoso’s versatility as a scholar and a talented athlete was especially prominent her junior year. As an Athletic 3.0 Scholarship recipient since her freshman year, it came as no surprised that Troncoso was inducted into the International Honors Society for Psychology. Still dominating the breaststroke events with multiple first and second place finishes, Troncoso was crucial for Asheville relays. Her strength on the breaststroke leg of medley relays propelled the Bulldogs to six relay wins. Troncoso also assisted Asheville’s freestyle relays in two dual meet wins. Troncoso posted impressive times at the 2015 CCSA Championships in both individual and relay events. Troncoso set team records in the 200 medley relay, 200 freestyle relay and 400 medley relay. Troncoso swam a best time in the 50 freestyle, touching the wall at 24.48. She raced to a season best of 2:21.88 in the 200 breaststroke, qualifying for finals. Troncoso raced to the finish to earn 9th place points in the 100 breaststroke, the highest scoring Bulldog at the 2015 championships. Her preliminary race of 1:03.63 qualified her for the U.S. Open Championships.
Senior Year
Troncoso continued to train and race breaststroke events for the Bulldogs. She was a top scorer in events throughout the dual meet season. Troncoso rallied to recover from a broken finger injury to compete at the 2016 Coastal Collegiate Swimming Association Conference Championships. Her 100 and 200 breaststroke events were season best times by multiple seconds. She scored 10th place points in the 100 breaststroke and qualified for the C final in the 200 breaststroke. Troncoso’s 50 freestyle was only a few tenths off of her personal best swum at the 2015 CCSAs. She was also a member of the 200 medley relay, scoring valuable points for the bulldogs.
Top Times
100 breast 1:02.84 2013 Coastal Collegiate Swimming Association Conference Championships
200 breast 2:18.36 2014 Coastal Collegiate Swimming Association Conference Championships 2013
200 IM 2:09.61 2013 Coastal Collegiate Swimming Association Conference Championships
200 medley relay (Jackson, Troncoso, van Dorsten, Ireland) 1:44.68 (team record)
400 medley relay (Sanchez, Troncoso, Werth, van Dorsten) 3:53.05 (team record)
Volunteering/Community Outreach
Asheville City Half Marathon
Rockey’s Readers
MLK Day of Service
Future Bulldogs Program
Girls on the Run
Asheville Buncombe Institute of Parity Achievement for A Celebration of Health: A Conference on Awareness Prevention
Student Athlete Advisory Committee
National Girls and Women in Sports Day
Manna Food Bank Food Packaging Day