Mary Descenza
Background[]
- Swimmer at Athens Bulldog Swim Club (ABSC-GA)
- in 2008 = 23 DOB: Sep 17, 1984
- 5' 10" (177.8 cm)
- Hometown = Naperville, Ill.
- in 2008 resides in Athens, Georgia
- former resident of Middlesex, N.J.
- Coach = Jack Bauerle
- Wikipedia:Mary Descenza
- USA Swimming's media guide provided some source materials.
Career Highlights:[]
Won gold and set an American record in the 200m butterfly at the 2008 Short Course World Championships ... also set an American record in the 800scm free relay at Worlds ... graduated as only the second female in history to win the 200 fly all four years at the NCAA Championships (Mary T. Meagher also did it) ... earned three relay medals at the 2005 World Championships ... double silver medalist at the 2004 SC World Champs in the 200m fly and 400m medley relay (prelims) ... narrowly missed a spot on the 2004 Olympic Team, finishing fourth in the 200m fly at the Olympic Trials ... at the 2003 World Championships, earned silver in the 400m medley relay (prelims) and narrowly missed a medal in the 200m fly, taking fourth
World Championships[]
2005: Gold, 800m FR-R(pr); Silver, 400m MR(pr); Bronze, 400m FR-R(pr); 5, 100m FL; 6, 200m FL ... 2003: Silver, 400m MR(pr); 4, 200m FL ... 2001: Silver, 400m MR; 4, 100m FL
World Championships[]
2007: 17, 200m FL
2007 World Rankings:[]
35th, 200m free; 100, 50m back; 20th, 100m back; 13th, 200m back; 81st, 50m fly; 30th, 100m fly; 8th, 200m fly; 51st, 200m IM
2006 World Rankings:[]
71st, 100m free; 76th, 200m free; 34th, 100m back; 51st, 200m back; 12th, 100m fly; 9th, 200m fly; 117th, 200m IM
2005 World Rankings:[]
31st, 100m free; 30th, 200m free; 84th, 200m back; 10th, 100m fly; 3rd, 200m fly
United States (also known as USA) 
Swim Titles[]
200m Fly (2): ’05 SPG, '02 SUM
Details[]
National Teams: Six-time National A Team (2001-06) … 1999 National Junior Team
All-Star Team: Four-time (2001-03, 05)
Collegiate: Graduated as only the second female in history to win the 200 fly all four years at the NCAA 
Championships (Mary T. Meagher also did it)
Collegiate:[]
2006 Honda Award recipient as the nation's top collegiate female swimmer ... 28time All-American
High School:[]
National Honors Society ... 2002 Illinois High School Swimmer of the Year
Personal:[]
High School: Rosary High School ’02
College: University of Georgia '07 College Major: Biology
Ambitions, Aspirations, Goals, Dreams[]
Nurse or veterinarian
Family, Village, Community[]
Parents: Robert and Margaret … father is a structural engineer, and mother is a homemaker
Sibling(s): Older sister (Katie) attended William and Mary … younger sister (Patty Descenza) is a swimmer who also qualified for the 2004 Olympic Trials in the 200m fly (same event as Mary)
Sports Played Before Swimming: Soccer, softball
Nickname(s): Crazy … nicknamed “Crazy” because she’s kind of weird and crazy … at first, her nickname was Crazy Mary, but then people shortened it to Crazy
Pet(s): One dog (Speedo) is a long-haired weiner dog
Hobbies Outside the Pool: Baking, reading, shopping
Ultimate Way to Relax: Laying out on a beach
Most Influential Person: Best friend (Michelle Schaeffer) … “She is so fun and motivating. We have a fun time together.”
Sponsor(s): TYR
Training Notes[]
2008[]
Swims 12,000 meters/yards per day, 5 hours a day, 6 days a week Favorites: U.S. city: Chicago ... int'l destination: Paris ... band: Queen ... summer activity: shopping, laying out, reading Favorites: Music: Beatles, Eagles, Billy Joel, Queen ... Movie: Super Troopers and Napoleon Dynamite ... TV show: The Office
Splash:[]
- Five World medals (1g, 3s, 1b)
International Medals[]
2008 Worlds short course[]
2008: Gold, 200m FL (Short Course Meters) 2006 SC World Champs 2006: Silver, 400m MED-R (Short Course Meters) (pr) 2007 Duel in The Pool 2007: Bronze, 200m FL 2006 Pan Pacific Champs 2006: Bronze, 100m FL
2008[]
Ultraswim GP - 2 Final, 200m FR; 3 Final, 100m BK; t1 Final, 100m FL; t1 Final, 200m FL; 1 Final, 400m MED-R 08 SCSC GP - 12 Final, 100m FR; 16 Final, 200m FR; t5 Final, 100m BK; 2 Final, 200m BK; t2 Final, 100m FL; t1 Final, 200m FL; 2 Final, 400m FR-R; 2 Final, 400m MED-R SC WORLDS - 8 Final, 200m FR (Short Course Meters); 7 Final, 200m BK (Short Course Meters); 1 Final, 200m FL (Short Course Meters); 10 Semi, 100m IM (Short Course Meters)
2007[]
SCY NATS - t4 Final, 200y FR; t1 Final, 500y FR; t5 Final, 100y BK; t2 Final, 200y BK; t4 Final, 100y FL; t3 Final, 200y FL SUM NATS - 4 Final, 200m FR; 4 Final, 100m BK; 2 Final, 200m BK; 7 Final, 100m FL; 2 Final, 200m FL; 17 Final, 200m IM; 2 Final, 400m FR-R; 2 Final, 800m FR-R; 8 Final, 400m MED-R SCSC GP - 5 Final, 100m BK; 10 Final, 200m BK; t3 Final, 100m FL; t2 Final, 200m FL; 8 Final, 400m FR-R; 4 Final, 800m FR-R; 6 Final, 400m MED-R 07 ULTRA GP - 3 Final, 200m FR; 6 Final, 100m BK; 3 Final, 200m BK; 1 Final, 100m FL; 3 Final, 200m FL Namesnik GP - 17 Final, 50m FR; 3 Final, 200m FR; 8 Final, 100m BK; 5 Final, 200m BK; 3 Final, 100m FL; 10 Final, 200m IM MoO DiP - 6 Final, 200m BK; 6 Final, 100m FL; 3 Final, 200m FL WORLD - 17 Prelim, 200m FL
2006[]
US OPEN - 1 Final, 100m FR; 1 Final, 200m FR; 5 Final, 200m BK; 1 Final, 100m FL; 3 Final, 200m FL PAN PAC - 3 Final, 100m FL; 4 Final, 200m FL SUM NATS - 11 Final, 100m FR; 6 Final, 100m BK; 3 Final, 100m FL; 2 Final, 200m FL SC WORLD - 7 Final, 200m FR (Short Course Meters); 11 Semi, 50m FL (Short Course Meters); 8 Final, 100m FL (Short Course Meters); 4 Final, 200m FL (Short Course Meters); t4 Final, 400m FR-R (Short Course Meters) NCAA - 1 Final, 100y FL; 1 Final, 200y FL; 4 Final, 200y IM
2005[]
MoO DiP - 4 Final, 100m FL; 2 Final, 200m FL WORLD - 5 Final, 100m FL; 6 Final, 200m FL WC TRIALS - 5 Final, 100m FR; 2 Final, 200m FR; 2 Final, 100m FL; 1 Final, 200m FL 2004 OLY TRIALS - 7 Final, 100m FL; 4 Final, 200m FL 2003 WORLD - 9 Semi, 50m FL; 4 Final, 200m FL MoO DiP - 2 Final, 100m FL; 2 Final, 200m FL