Abbey Fish verbally committed to Xavier University on October 11, 2024
Many high school athletes find that the dream of competing at the Division I collegiate level is challenging to reach, as only 1 in 57 high school athletes and three point three percent of high school swimmers and divers achieve this feat. For senior Abbey Fish, the recruiting process was full of reaching out, visits, difficult decisions, and the excitement of finding the perfect fit.
Countless emails, guidance from her parents, and multiple official visits led to six-time school record holder Abbey Fish’s commitment to Xavier University, located in Cincinnati, Ohio.
“The process started in June before my junior year, so I just kind of started reaching out to coaches,” Fish said. “I didn’t really hear back from a lot of people until midway through the season. Then after state last year I really started contacting coaches and scheduling visits and all of that.”
Regardless of her record-setting high school career, Fish still had obstacles to overcome in order to land a spot at a school she loves. The changing landscape of NCAA athletics made securing a position at Power Conference schools more difficult than it might have been just a few years ago.
“I would say getting told no (was the hardest part) with the way the NCAA is now, they don’t do a whole lot of walk-ons. At some of the bigger schools, four or five years ago, I would have been able to go walk on,” Fish said. “I talked to the University of Utah and schools like that, and they’re like, ‘We would have loved to have you then, but just not with roster limits and all that.’”
Despite this setback, Fish didn’t give up on her dream of swimming at a Division Ievel school. She continued taking visits and considering both athletic and academic opportunities.
“A lot of it nowadays is you reaching out to coaches. So if you have any desire to play your sport at the next level, I would say reach out,” Fish said. “The worst thing that can happen is you try it for a year, and then you decide it’s not for you. You’ll never know if you don’t try.”
Fish was also influenced by her parents’ athletic background, as both of her parents competed in track at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. Her dad was also a longtime D1 track coach, which allowed Fish to understand both sides of the D1 recruiting process.
“My dad was a division one coach for a really long time, so [he] knew the ropes and could tell me what’s a big red flag, what’s a green light, things to watch out for, and also positive things to look at. I also had a couple friends who have gone division one. Swimming or any athletics at the next level, is an accomplishment.
A unique part of Fish’s story is her background in swimming. Many of her peers have had longer careers, and Fish believes more consistency will help her to flourish.
“It’s a little different for me because this is only my sixth season swimming, and I’ve never swam full-time. A lot of the people I was on visits with, swimming is all they’ve ever known since they were ten or even younger,” Fish said. “So when I shared my experience, they were like, ‘Whoa, you’ve only been swimming for six years?’ That was one of the hardest parts—getting my story out there. You look at my times, and they’re obviously good, but not necessarily where you’d expect them to be. Then you add in the fact that I never swam year-round, didn’t have a club team in town, and didn’t have consistent coaching.”
As she visited schools including The University of Illinois-Chicago, Pepperdine, San Diego, and Xavier, and met other recruits, Fish found a sense of camaraderie among student-athletes going through the same experience.
“Everybody had the same drive. Everybody who was on those visits really wanted to be there and was excited about the process,” Fish said. “It was nice to find a place where I’d be surrounded by others with similar goals.”
One of the biggest stresses prospective college students face is finding a place that feels like home, and this was no different for Fish.
“You can have an idea in your mind of where you want to go and what you want to do, but oftentimes that doesn’t stay the same,” Fish said. “I was convinced I was going to end up at a school in California, on the beach. And now, I’m going to school in Ohio. Sometimes you think you know exactly what you want, and then things change.”
Ultimately, she made her decision to commit to Xavier University, not only for their swim program, but also to advance her future career.
“I know I want to work in professional sports, and Xavier has really great internship opportunities with the Bengals and the Reds. Sports law is a popular profession there, so having those connections right away is really nice,” Fish said.
Xavier’s academic support for student-athletes was another factor in her choice.
“They have a great system where I’ll meet with my counselor every other week to make sure I’m staying on track. [Academic counselors] even travel with us to our away meets in case we need a test proctored,” Fish said.
Her advice for future athletes navigating recruitment is to be proactive, open to different possibilities, and to not be afraid to bet on yourself.
“You might have a really good season and open doors that weren’t possible before. Know your personality, what you want out of your college athletic career, and what kind of program fits you best. Some take it more seriously than others, and it’s about figuring out where you belong,” Fish said.
As she prepares to start this next chapter, Fish reflects on the best part of her journey: the experiences she gained along the way.
“The best part for me was getting to meet new people and see new places. It was a process full of learning and growth, and I’m grateful for every step of it,” Fish said.
With her college decision set, Fish is ready for what comes next—both in the pool and beyond.
“I wouldn’t really change anything. Maybe I wish I had talked to some schools sooner, but in the end, I love where I ended up. It’s the perfect fit,” Fish said.
