Sarah Clark

UNO > News > Features > Sarah Clark and Stephanie Kirby
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Learn about Sarah Clark and Stephanie Kirby.
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Sarah Clark and Stephanie Kirby are two of UNO's student-athletes who have been helped through the annual Women's Walk. photo by Tim Fitzgerald
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Following the recent Diet Pepsi/UNO Women's Walk, sending out thank-you notes this year might take Claussen a bit longer. A record $328,000 was raised by the April 16th event! Two UNO student-athletes, soccer player Stephanie Kirby and swimmer Sarah Clark, have benefited from the annual walk and were very thankful to the walk participants.
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A new chapter also starts soon for Clark, a swimmer who will graduate in May. Clark, or more specifically her mother, was attracted to UNO by its swimming pool. "When I was ten years old, I visited UNO to swim, and my mom thought the pool was a great facility," Clark said.

After graduating from high school in St. Joseph, Mo., she and her mother took an impromptu trip to see the campus and visit with UNO swimming and diving coach Todd Samland. Clark's college experience wasn't always on the bright side. "I'm the first in my family to go to college, and when I came to UNO I had no friends or family here," she said. "I cried every night to my mother on the phone! I came here with the attitude that I didn't have anything else to learn, and I was just coming to UNO to please my mom."

Her attitude changed when she returned for her sophomore year. "I came back with the attitude that I could be the best at swimming, and I wanted to prove this to myself and others. I also made friends and let Todd be my coach," she said. "Todd took quite a chance with me, and everything has turned out great."Â

Clark, who describes herself as very organized and a real goal setter, is one of those rare students who will graduate in four years. She will receive her degree in business management from the College of Business Administration. "My junior year I posted my swimming goals over my bed and looked at them every night," she said. "I also keep a full agenda of work and activities every day."

Just looking at a typical daily schedule for Clark might exhaust many. She began her day with swimming, sometimes as early as 6 a.m., until 9 a.m. Classes followed until 12:50 p.m. Then she participated in a combination of swim practice and weight training until 5:30 p.m., followed immediately by more classes until 8 p.m.

All of the practice and goal setting paid off this season, as Clark set two pool records for personal best times and was named Swimmer of the Year for the North Central Conference. UNO's swimming and diving team also won the conference title for the first time, beating North Dakota University which had held the swim crown for 23 years.

Even after graduating from UNO in May, Clark will stay connected with UNO's swim program as an assistant coach to Todd Samland next season. "I've decided to be a swim coach, probably on the high school level," Clark said. "The best part is being with the kids and showing them how to do something."

Clark also is thankful for the financial contributions of the Women's Walk. "Without getting this scholarship, there was no possible way that I could afford going to college," she said. "It has been great to attend college, graduate in four years and to be able to compete for a job in the marketplace."