CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa -- Lydi O’Neil didn’t expect her season to change two days after it started. The Nebraska Wesleyan University swimmer had spent months preparing to step into a bigger leadership role — then a dislocated shoulder threatened to take everything away. “At first, it felt like everything I’d worked for in the offseason had been taken from me in an instant,” O’Neil said.
That moment could have ended her year. Instead, it became the turning point that shaped her as an athlete, a leader, and a person. The easy choice would have been surgery and shutdown. O’Neil chose something harder: to keep going for her team.
Pushing Through Pain
O’Neil decided to swim the entire season without surgery, knowing each practice would hurt. “Every practice came with pain. Every meet tested my limits,” she said. “But in that struggle, I learned more about resilience than I ever had before.” The physical challenge forced her to train smarter and trust her body in new ways. The mental battle was even tougher — staying locked in on days when she felt she had nothing left.
She realized leadership wasn’t only about winning races. With her shoulder limiting her in the pool, she found new ways to lead from the deck. “I wasn’t always able to lead with performance, so I focused on supporting my teammates, staying vocal on deck, and showing up every day with a positive mindset — even when I was hurting,” she said.
Her teammates noticed. They rallied around her, and she rallied around them. By season’s end, she raced every meet. She gave everything she had, knowing surgery was waiting on the other side. “I finished with no regrets,” O’Neil said. “Leadership isn’t always about being the fastest or strongest — sometimes it’s about showing grit and choosing to fight through adversity when it would be easier to walk away.”
Team, Campus, and Community
That season also deepened O’Neil’s appreciation for the people around her. From the start of her college career, she felt the Nebraska Wesleyan and A-R-C communities had her back. “Being part of the swim team gave me a built-in support system,” she said. When her injury hit, that support became even more real — teammates checked in daily, encouraged her at rehab, and made sure she still felt valued.
That same sense of community helped O’Neil balance high-level athletics and academics. During her first year, she earned a spot at the Commonwealth Games. The opportunity of a lifetime also meant missing class and the first week of practice. Both her professors and coaches met her with understanding. “All my professors took the time to meet with me one-on-one before I left, helping me create a plan to stay on track,” she said. “My coach was incredibly supportive of me missing the first week of practice so I could represent my country.”
Their flexibility and encouragement taught her the value of communication, planning, and trust — lessons she carries into every season. “It reminded me how powerful it is to be surrounded by people who genuinely care,” O’Neil said.
Excellence in the Classroom and the Pool
The support O’Neil received fueled some of her proudest achievements. She earned a CSC Academic All-District Award, helped all five NWU relays win gold and set A-R-C Championship records, and was named Nebraska Wesleyan’s Female Sophomore Athlete of the Year. “They were the result of countless hours in the athletic training room, pushing myself in the pool, and staying consistent in the weight room,” she said.
Balancing a psychology major with minors in human resource management and coaching, she learned what it takes to excel on both fronts. “Balancing both athletics and academics at a high level taught me a lot about perseverance, discipline, and what it truly means to be committed to your goals,” O’Neil said.
For her, the A-R-C experience has been about more than times and titles. “Swimming may seem individual, but in the A-R-C, our team culture mattered just as much as our times,” she said. The league’s emphasis on discipline, resilience, and accountability helped her grow into a student-athlete who leads by example. “I leave the pool with more confidence, stronger values, and a clearer sense of who I am.”
Leaving a Legacy
As she looks ahead, O’Neil hopes her impact lasts beyond her results. “I hope the legacy I leave behind in the A-R-C is one of resilience, balance, and team-first leadership,” she said. She wants future Wolves to see that it’s possible to pursue excellence in both athletics and academics — and to do it with integrity and humility.
Her message to the next generation is simple and honest. “Swimming has taught me that success isn’t always visible,” O’Neil said. “Some of my biggest wins came from pushing through injuries, showing up on the hard days, and finding strength when no one was watching. The quiet battles matter just as much as the races.”
For O’Neil, that’s what being a student-athlete is all about — showing up, lifting up the people around you, and choosing courage when it would be easier to quit.
About the American Rivers Conference
Nationally respected for excellence in NCAA Division III athletics, the American Rivers Conference (A-R-C) has a tradition dating back to its founding in 1922 as the Iowa Intercollegiate Athletic Association and adopted its current name in 2018 to reflect its strong Iowa roots and growing regional footprint. The A-R-C is a collaborative community that champions the holistic development of student-athletes, uniting member institutions in a shared commitment to academic achievement, athletic distinction, and leadership.
The A-R-C is home to nine full-time member institutions: Buena Vista University, Central College, Coe College, University of Dubuque, Loras College, Luther College, Nebraska Wesleyan University, Simpson College, and Wartburg College. Luther College has announced its departure from the conference, effective at the conclusion of the 2025–26 academic year.
