Eastern Swimmer Buchanan Overcomes Obstacles To Earn Major Award

WILLIMANTIC, CT — Kerry-Rose Buchanan of Southington, a junior swimmer at Eastern Connecticut State University, has been named the individual sport female athlete of the year as part of the school's major departmental awards for the 2020-21 season.

One of the winningest distance freestylers in the 26-year history of the program, Buchanan finished first in five of seven official races in the 100, 200, 500 and 1,000-meter freestyle events during a coronavirus-abbreviated season that included only a handful of virtual and in-person meets.

Buchanan won the 100, 200 and 500 against Rhode Island College on March 6 and won the 500 and 1,000 against Keene State College a week later. Her times in the 100 (56.86 seconds) and 1,000 (11:14.22) established personal bests.

An All-New England performer in three distance freestyle events, Buchanan is ranked among the program's all-time Top 10 in all five freestyle events in which she has participated in her career, including fourth in the 500 and 1,650, fifth in the 1,000, seventh in the 200, and tenth in the 100.

She is the only swimmer in program history to earn that Top 10 distinction in all five freestyle events ranging from 100 and 1650 yards.

Buchanan is a true success story. She swam well as a freshman but then had to overcome academic issues to get back in the pool. Her grade point overage now hovers around a 3.o.

She talks about her career in a video produced by Eastern:

Her talents work in the classroom also led her to an internship in Eastern's sports information department. She even designed the Warriors' schedule poster: