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Kalina Ceglinski

Women's Swimming and Diving Braden Golisek - Assistant Director of Sports Information

National Girls & Women in Sports Day: Kalina Ceglinski

National Girls & Women in Sports Day is celebrated annually on the first Wednesday of February. This day is dedicated to recognizing female athletic achievements and promoting opportunities for girls in sports.

Today, the NMU Athletics Department is celebrating girls and women, both past and present, to honor the achievements of women in sports, acknowledge the impact of sports participation, and advocate for equality and inclusion for girls in athletics.

MARQUETTE, Mich. -- Kalina Ceglinski always knew that sports would be a pivotal part of her life.

"I started doing gymnastics and swimming long before I can remember," says Ceglinski, a junior from Elmhurst, Illinois, who is currently in the middle of a truly astonishing season as one of the top divers across all of Division II.

"Growing up, going to practice was always one of my favorite parts of the day; at times, all I wanted to do was practice. It was always important to me. Training and competition taught me how to work hard and have it pay off. I was infatuated with competition, and my drive to get better shaped me into who I am. Being able to have a space to grow and have fun outside of the normal day was amazing."

At the forefront of that drive to work hard and get better growing up was one of her favorite female athletes, two-time Olympian Aly Raisman. Raisman was captain of both the 2012 "Fierce Five" and 2016 "Final Five" U.S. women's Olympic gymnastics teams, which won their respective team competitions. 

At the 2012 Olympics in London, she won gold medals in the team and floor competitions, as well as the bronze medal on the balance beam, making her the most decorated American gymnast at the Games. At the 2016 Olympics in Rio de Janeiro, she won a gold medal in the team event, making her and teammate Gabby Douglas the only Americans with back-to-back team gold medals. She is the third-most decorated American gymnast in Olympic history. 

"Since I first watched her compete, one of my favorite female athletes growing up was Olympic gymnast Aly Raisman. She was always described as such a strong and powerful competitor, and I wanted to be just like her. I was drawn to the way she held herself in competition and wasn't afraid to be herself." 

Ceglinski is currently in her third season af a member of the Wildcats, and is leading the charge for the fifth-ranked NMU women's diving team. As of the current D-II power rankings, Ceglinski is the best in the nation on the 1-meter board and fifth in the 3-meter board, leading the GLIAC conference in both. 

For Ceglinski, having success, being a leader, and representing women in her sport at the collegiate level "means everything", but it doesn't stop with competition. Being able to have fun is equally important.

"To me, it means showing the next generation all the good that women are capable of. That we are strong, resilient, capable, and able to thrive in competitive environments. Being able to dive in college has given me the opportunity to share the sport with people who may not know a lot about it. Any opportunity that I get to spread information about diving and to show people this amazing sport is a blessing."

"I always try to show that the whole point is to have fun! For me, having fun is the core value to success; if you're not enjoying what you're doing, you won't want to work hard. Lead with a smile, work hard, and don't be afraid to try new things."

Ceglinski says that she has "the utmost respect" for the women she competes alongside, and couldn't be who she is today without a tight-knit community supporting each other. 

"These women are pushing themselves every single day, and what I love the most is the support. Every woman I've dove against or trained with has been nothing but supportive. From cheering each other on to giving us that little extra positivity, they are always there. We can lean on each other even if we're not from the same team and help each other have fun during competition."

Success depends on many variables, some of which include the circle of support an athlete may or may not have to be the best version of themselves. For most, none in that circle of support are more important than their parents.

"There are so many people who have helped me in my journey, but my parents have been the most important. They supported me in everything I wanted to try, and they rarely missed a competition." 

"I thank my dad for giving me my competitive drive and for never letting me count myself out. I thank my mom for helping me take a leap of faith and commit to college athletics; without her, I truly would not be here. They have both had such a huge impact on the way I view myself through athletics." 

"I thank them the most for believing in me when no one else did, even myself. Without them, I would not be the athlete I am today."

That important lesson of self-belief is what Ceglinski says National Girls and Women in Sports Day is all about.

"To me, it's a day to inspire younger female athletes to dream big, never count themselves out, and never be afraid to try something new. As a woman, competing in sports has taught me how to have drive, be dedicated, to trust, and lead by example. Being an athlete is my biggest asset and has given me values I will live by forever."




 
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Players Mentioned

Kalina Ceglinski

Kalina Ceglinski

5' 1"
Junior

Players Mentioned

Kalina Ceglinski

Kalina Ceglinski

5' 1"
Junior