MONROE - Monticello senior Marissa Berg signed her National Letter of Intent Tuesday, Nov. 19 to swim for the University of Wisconsin next year.
Berg made it official when she signed at the Green County YMCA with her parents Robin and Chris Berg along with Green County Gator coach Emily Pisula and former coach Mark Lang.
"When I was in eighth grade, Division I swimming wasn't even on my mind," Berg said. "I thought I would go to a smaller college and swim. I'm really excited. It's close to home and their program is really on the rise."
Berg started swimming for the Sugar River Rapids summer team in New Glarus when she was 6-years-old. She joined the Green County YMCA Golden Gator swim team at 7 and the workouts as a child with her mother, Robin, who is an aquatics director in Madison, paid dividends. Berg garnered attention in the water three years ago when she won a USA National 50-yard freestyle championship with a time of 23.15 seconds, which broke a 22-year-old record to put her in elite company. She swam the 16th fastest time in the history of USA Swimming at that level. The American record holder in the 13-14 division is Olympian Dara Torres (22.44), who is the first U.S. swimmer to become a five-time Olympian and the oldest to ever earn a place on the U.S. Olympic team.
"Winning an event at USA Nationals is the highlight of my swimming career," Berg said. "This (signing with Wisconsin) would rank second."
She's a six-time YMCA state qualifier, six-time YMCA National qualifier and a three-time USA National qualifier. Berg said Iowa was her second choice. She also received recruiting interest from Purdue, Texas A&M, Rice University, Kansas and Arkansas. Schools were able to contact her starting in July. By October she had her mind made up that it would be the Badgers.
"As the years progressed I started getting information from more schools," Berg said. "I got a ton of calls. That is when I really knew they were interested."
She is a four-sport athlete competing in volleyball, basketball, swimming and volleyball. After 11 years of swimming, next year will be the first time she devotes all of her time to improving in the pool.
"I have played all of those other sports since I have been swimming," she said. "Instead of just swimming three days a week in practice I will practice every day, lift and get the rest I need. It will be a big advantage."
She will miss playing basketball.
"Basketball is my escape from swimming and swimming is my escape from basketball," Berg said. "I will miss all of the sports. They have been a huge part of my life."
Berg said the Badgers are recruiting her to swim the 50 freestyle, 100 freestyle and the 100 butterfly. However, that is not set in stone.
"That could change by next year," she said.
Berg made it official when she signed at the Green County YMCA with her parents Robin and Chris Berg along with Green County Gator coach Emily Pisula and former coach Mark Lang.
"When I was in eighth grade, Division I swimming wasn't even on my mind," Berg said. "I thought I would go to a smaller college and swim. I'm really excited. It's close to home and their program is really on the rise."
Berg started swimming for the Sugar River Rapids summer team in New Glarus when she was 6-years-old. She joined the Green County YMCA Golden Gator swim team at 7 and the workouts as a child with her mother, Robin, who is an aquatics director in Madison, paid dividends. Berg garnered attention in the water three years ago when she won a USA National 50-yard freestyle championship with a time of 23.15 seconds, which broke a 22-year-old record to put her in elite company. She swam the 16th fastest time in the history of USA Swimming at that level. The American record holder in the 13-14 division is Olympian Dara Torres (22.44), who is the first U.S. swimmer to become a five-time Olympian and the oldest to ever earn a place on the U.S. Olympic team.
"Winning an event at USA Nationals is the highlight of my swimming career," Berg said. "This (signing with Wisconsin) would rank second."
She's a six-time YMCA state qualifier, six-time YMCA National qualifier and a three-time USA National qualifier. Berg said Iowa was her second choice. She also received recruiting interest from Purdue, Texas A&M, Rice University, Kansas and Arkansas. Schools were able to contact her starting in July. By October she had her mind made up that it would be the Badgers.
"As the years progressed I started getting information from more schools," Berg said. "I got a ton of calls. That is when I really knew they were interested."
She is a four-sport athlete competing in volleyball, basketball, swimming and volleyball. After 11 years of swimming, next year will be the first time she devotes all of her time to improving in the pool.
"I have played all of those other sports since I have been swimming," she said. "Instead of just swimming three days a week in practice I will practice every day, lift and get the rest I need. It will be a big advantage."
She will miss playing basketball.
"Basketball is my escape from swimming and swimming is my escape from basketball," Berg said. "I will miss all of the sports. They have been a huge part of my life."
Berg said the Badgers are recruiting her to swim the 50 freestyle, 100 freestyle and the 100 butterfly. However, that is not set in stone.
"That could change by next year," she said.
