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Helen Wojdylo has verbally committed to Columbia University’s class of 2020*. The Manchester, Missouri native told SwimSwam: “I chose Columbia because it has the right combination of swimming and academics for me. I liked all the girls on the team and I’m very excited to train under Diana and Demerae! I can’t wait to swim in the Big Apple!! ROAR!”
Wojdylo is a senior at Parkway West High School, although she does not swim for her high school team. She trains under Dave McCrary at CSP Tideriders in St. Louis. Her best events are:
| SCY | LCM | |
| 100 free | 53.66 | 1:00.76 |
| 200 free | 1:52.57 | 2:08.98 |
| 500 free | 4:56.37 | 4:32.13 |
| 100 breast | 1:06.11 | 1:15.77 |
| 200 breast | 2:23.17 | 2:43.93 |
| 200 IM | 2:08.72 |
Wojdylo placed 30th in the 50 breast at NCSA Summer Juniors, and 14th in the 200 free, 16th in the 100 breast, and 21st in the 200 breast at Short Course Sectionals in March, just 5 weeks after having surgery on her broken hand. She told SwimSwam, “In January, I was kicked during warmup at a swim meet and broke the fourth metacarpal in my left hand. I had surgery to repair it and lost the entire second half of my short course season. I went to March sectionals just 6 weeks after surgery, and was very relieved to be back down near best times in my races. I was also proud to be able to anchor our 400 free relay to a silver medal finish! This season, I am looking forward to making up for lost time!”
Wojdylo’s current times would have made the C final of the 100 breast but just missed getting a second swim in the 200 breast and 200 IM at the 2015 Ivy League Women’s Championships. Now that she is fully healed, however, she should be in a good place to improve in breast and IM as Columbia has a long history of excellence in those events (think Katie Meili).
*DISCLAIMER: Wojdylo has not yet been officially accepted to Columbia. As is true with all Ivy League schools, Columbia’s Admission Office will not send its acceptance letter until the beginning of December, along with those of all Early Action candidates. The procedure for a recruited athlete at Columbia is for Admissions to review (her) transcript and SAT scores, “support (her) application for admissions in the fall,” issue a Likely Letter, then offer (her) acceptance into the class of 2020.
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Her current time in the 500 free would have made the B final in the Ivies, and her 200 Free would have made C final as well.
We are very proud of you Helen!