Tiana Wollen is a captain for the ISU swimming and diving team, a walk-on member of the team and an excellent student as well.

A junior, majoring in chemical engineering, Wollen finds a way to manage both athletics and school.

“It’s mainly just about time management.” Wollen said. “Being in a sport helps you realize that you need to get things done on time since [sports] take up more than 20 hours a week.”

A native of Bloomington, Minn., Wollen competed for Jefferson High School.

It was in high school that she made it to the Minnesota state championships, where she finished 28th, 21st, and 25th in her events respectively. Wollen even broke her school’s 100 butterfly record.

“I couldn’t imagine myself not swimming” Wollen said. “I knew I could do a lot better than how I ended my high school season.”

Wollen and two other women were given a two-week trial to join the ISU swimming and diving team to see if the coaching staff thought they had enough potential to become a member of the team.

“My club coach knows coach [Duane] Sorenson and knew it would be a good program to work with [me].” Wollen said. “We’ve had girls come here before and they’ve improved as well.”

Wollen was the only one chosen of the three.

“Her club coach said she could really improve here,” Sorenson said. “She just really stood out with her work ethic and desire to make the team.”

In her time here, Wollen has had a chance to make her presence known as a Cyclone swimmer.

“Tiana is a really good friend,” said teammate and friend Brianna Carlberg. “She works really hard and pushes everyone in and out of the pool.”

Wollen hopes to have a strong year for the Cyclones competing in the 200 medley, 400 medley, 100 fly and 200 fly.

“The team is great,” Wollen said. “I love the girls on the team and I just couldn’t ask for anything more.”