Taylor Norwood looked at going to an NCAA Division I school to swim, but found a better fit at Maryville University.
The Poplar Bluff senior recently signed her National Letter of Intent to swim for the Saints, who compete at the Division II level.
"When I was little, we wanted to look at the bigger schools to swim," Norwood said. "As I got older, I realized I didn't want to go to the big school. I didn't like the environment."
Maryville, located in suburban St. Louis, features a 10-member swim team and a nursing program Norwood was looking to study.
"We've always went to swim meets in St. Louis and I just love the area, love St. Louis since I was little," Norwood said. "I loved the campus. It's secured but it's right in the center of St. Louis. I had a perfect connection with the coach right off the bat. I felt like the team members, like I was already friends with them.
"This is like my dream school."
Norwood said when she applied the school said she would know by September 10 if she had been accepted. Four days after the date passed, she had not heard anything and was starting to worry.
"I looked through my spam email and it was (there)," Norwood said. "It was an acceptance letter."
Norwood's resume in the pool features six all-state medals in individual events and another in a relay, three MVP honors at the conference meet in which she has won all of her individual races and 5 of 6 relays. She owns five team records and helped set all three relay marks.
As a sophomore, Norwood became the first swimmer in the history of the Show Me Conference to qualify for state in all eight individual events and three relays.
Poplar Bluff coach Beth Lewis-Muse said Norwood helped lift the Mules program to a "whole other level."
"I don't think, honestly, there's any athlete that spends that much time on a daily basis swimming," Lewis-Muse said. "She's been like that since the day I met her."
Norwood has finished eighth or better in the MSHSAA state finals in the 100-yard butterfly and 200 individual medley in each of her first three seasons.
Last season the Mules placed 21st as a team at state after placing 17th and 15th the previous years. Poplar Bluff also won its first-ever conference title during Norwood's sophomore season.
Along with her high school competition, Norwood also swims year-round in USA Swimming and was an AAU Junior Olympic champion.
"Her parents really gave up some personal time the last 10 years for her to get where she's going," Lewis-Muse said.
Norwood said her dad drove her to Cape Girardeau for practices for five years and was also her coach.
"My dad has influenced my life in a way that I'll forever be thankful for," Norwood said. "It's going to be hard without him, they'll come see me a lot."