Berks Catholic grad who swam at Reading High closes Penn State swimming career with 2 awards
Apr. 19—Elizabeth Gaspari made a big splash when she exited the pool for the final time.
The Berks Catholic grad and former Reading High swimmer earned two major awards to cap her Penn State swimming career.
Gaspari received the Iron Lion and Ernest B. McCoy awards at the swim team's end-of-season banquet.
"It was really exciting," Gaspari said. "I was truly honored to win two major awards."
The Iron Lion, in just its second year, is awarded to "highlight the swimmers and divers whose dedication sets them apart. They are the team members that demonstrated incredible drive, discipline and a relentless work ethic in their pursuit of strength, which has enabled them to maximize their physical and mental potential as competitors."
The Ernest B. McCoy Award, named after the longtime dean of Penn State's College of Physical Education and former athletic director, is "presented annually to one senior female and one senior male student-athlete who have combined successful athletic participation with academic excellence."
Gaspari will graduate from Penn State in May with a degree in finance. She has lined up a job working for Northwestern Mutual in King of Prussia in the fall.
Before she transitions from student to employee, Gaspari said she is still adjusting to her life outside the pool. She admits to finding a lot of extra time now that she no longer spends up to four hours a day in the pool.
But Gaspari said she is ready to take a break following a 15-year swimming career that started at the Wyomissing Borough Pool during the summer season.
"It's definitely bittersweet," Gaspari said. "I'm very sad that it's over but I definitely need a break."
Gaspari said she plans to stay involved in swimming over the summer. She has agreed to help coach swimmers at Schlegel Park and will assist in the Reading High water polo program during the preseason.
Gaspari also played water polo at Reading High. She was the 2016 Berks County Player of the Year and earned the 2016 Miss Pennsylvania Water Polo award, the highest individual honor given to a girls water polo player in the state.
In swimming, Gaspari won 14 individual and relay district medals for the Red Knights under the direction of coach Matt Lubas.
Gaspari spent her first two seasons at Penn State swimming distance freestyle events. Her last two years she switched to practicing with the sprinters and focused on the 50 and 100 freestyles.
Last year, Gaspari earned the Jerome (Jerry) Weinstein Award. She is a two-time Big Ten Distinguished Scholar and a two-time selection to the Academic All-Big Ten Team.
Her career bests at Penn State were 22.95 seconds in the 50 free, 50.16 in the 100, 1:49.05 in the 200 and 4:54.10 in the 500.
She placed 20th in the 50 free at this year's Big Ten Championships and swam a 22.28 split for the 200 free relay team that placed fifth in the Big Ten.
