Senior Anjelica Nixt of the ISU swim team will be swimming her final competition at the Big 12 Championships on Feb. 23 to 26.

While the event will be emotional, the former Big 12 Newcomer of the Year is at ease reflecting on her time at Iowa State.

“My career here has been a really positive journey,” Nixt said. “It has had a really good effect on me.”

Nixt was recruited out of Portland, Ore., but it wasn’t difficult to get her to visit Iowa State. Her father was born in Ames while her grandfather was going to graduate school at Iowa State.

“She contacted us,” coach Duane Sorenson said. “We had that Iowa State connection.”

Nixt has family in Iowa and knew about people in the Midwest.

“I used to come here to visit my great grandma and my uncle,” Nixt said. “I like the people here and when I came on my visit, I loved it.”

Sorenson said that when Nixt came in as a freshman she was “just another body on the team.” When she went on to win the consolation heat in the 200 breaststroke at the Big 12 Championships in 2008, her coaches were thrilled.

“At the end her freshman year, that’s when we knew we had something special,” Sorenson said. “That really sparked a fire under her.”

Her sophomore year, Nixt had teammate Marni Benson to race against every day in practice. Benson and Nixt even finished the 200 breaststroke at the 2009 Big 12 Championships in second and third place, respectively. Having that consistent competition forced Nixt to step up on a daily basis.

“Her training picked up and she was more intense,” Sorenson said.

Nixt has maintained her intensity in her junior season which helped her break the ISU school records in the 100 and 200 breaststrokes.

Nixt and Sorenson both know what sets her apart from the rest.

“One of the major things I have is determination,” Nixt said.

“She’s just a fierce competitor,” Sorenson said. “She’s not afraid to face anybody.”

Sorenson knows he doesn’t have to have any worries with Nixt in her final Big 12 Championship meet.

“She’s just a big-meet swimmer,” Sorenson said. “She loves the pressure and loves to get up and race.”

Her senior year, the team was looking forward to a great season, but a moped accident before the season along with illnesses has lead to fewer results than expected.

“[The accident] really set her back,” Sorenson said. “She’s really had to work hard to get back into shape.”

Nixt could only describe it one way.

“[Senior year] has been a journey itself,” Nixt said. “It’s been harder this year.”

Sorenson knows Nixt carries the most Big 12 Championship experience for his team.

“There’s no question about it,” Sorenson said. “She’ll be nervous like everybody else, but she’s not going to have that deer-in-the-headlights look like some of our kids will.”

Nixt won’t be focusing on having tight expectations for herself in her last Big 12 Championship meet.

“I won’t be as nervous,” Nixt said. “My expectation for myself is to go in with a positive attitude and have fun.”

Nixt is currently a part of seven ISU records with four of them being the records to beat.