Playing collegiate sports has been one of the best decisions University of Michigan swimmer Lindsay Carlberg has made in her life. Over the past four years, the senior has learned valuable lessons, including many things about herself.

Through swimming and her coach, Jim Richardson, Carlberg has realized the importance of leading with integrity. "Jim has taught us [the team] not only how to compete and train with integrity, but he has also taught us to learn about ourselves, who we are and to do the right thing," Carlberg says. She is a specialist in the backstroke and individual medley.

She discovered that things don't always turn out the way you think or plan. "This sport is not about justice," she says. "I wish it was and that everyone got what they deserved. The sport requires the most training and focus. Yet, in the end, I always expect to swim faster, and that doesn't always happen," explains Carlberg. A tough lesson to learn, but she has grown personally from the challenge. Last summer, she qualified for the World University Games in Beijing, China. 

Being a student-athlete, she realizes that she is not the typical college student, keen on "pigging out" and pulling "all-nighters."

"I can't pull all-nighters and then go to practice at 6 a.m. With all the hours swimming requires, I have learned how to organize my time and put my priorities in order," she says.

Carlberg, Carmel, Ind., began swimming when she was five. She and her siblings swam on a country club team, encouraged by their parents. She keeps focused by setting goals and leaning on her family for support. "I was given all of the opportunities by my family to grow as a person and athlete," says Carlberg. "I have always been a very driven person. For a swimmer, I am not very tall, but my dad always told me that I had a tall heart."

With graduation nearing, the communications major and political science minor pursues law school, following in the footsteps of her dad.

She is strong-willed and very independent. Sports helped with this. "I dream big because I never am satisfied with myself. I can always do better," she says. "I have been able to compete at such a high level throughout my career, because I am always reevaluating my goals."