By Nora Kellam
Excerpted from The University Daily Kansankansan sportswriter At 6:30 this morning, most University of Kansas students were still tucked away in bed, but not Aly Colver or the rest of the Kansas swimming and diving team.

She was already practicing as she does four times a week in the morning and six times a week in the afternoon.

Colver, a senior from Holyoke, Colo., has been making an impact for the Jayhawks since her freshman year. Soft spoken in nature, Colver plays a loud role on the team.

Not only is she one of the top performers for the Jayhawks, but her confidence, class and dedication make her a role model to her teammates, said swimming coach Clark Campbell.

“Aly is one of those athletes every coach wants on a team — a quite leader who leads with her work ethic,” he said. “Every season we have worked on her freestyle technique, and now the stroke is coming together. Aly is poised to have an excellent senior season.”

Colver started swimming competitively at age eight and was coached by her mom in high school.

After contemplating many colleges, she decided a swimming scholarship to Kansas was an opportunity she could not pass up.

After growing up in Holyoke, a town of only 2,000 people, the University was a big adjustment for Colver.

“Coming from such a small town, I never really knew what a team was like,” she said. “There is so much dependency and support from one another.”

Working together as a unit is not always easy in a sport that is often individualized, but it is an important aspect for the Jayhawks.

Swimming anywhere from 5,000 to 7,000 yards a day, or three to four miles, it is hard to imagine Colver doing anything but swimming.

But with an almost perfect grade point average, Colver has been recognized for her academic efforts as well, earning a spot on the inaugural Academic All-Big 12 team her sophomore year and following it up with a repeat performance her junior year.

“I always strive to get a 4.0, but math is a struggle,” Colver said.

Recently, Colver changed her major from atmospheric science to psychology. “I am very interested in attending law school,” Colver said. “I have desire to work with people.”

Colver said her father, a lawyer, was a motivation in her decision. She plans on attending law school in Colorado, but she said the University was always an option.

Colver is also a swimming and diving representative in the University’s Student-Athlete Advisory Committee.

The committee is made up of student athletes assembled to provide insight on the student athlete experience.

It meets weekly to discuss campus, departmental and national issues of concern to student athletes.

Swimmers Amy Gruber and Jackie Kruger, both seniors, are also members.

This season the Jayhawks have a challenging schedule but are pumped to get things started. Last season, Colver set a personal record in the 200 meter freestyle and owned the second fastest season times on the team in the 100 and 200 meter freestyle. This season Colver hopes to expand on that success.

“We have a difficult dual meet schedule this year, but I have never been so excited to see how this team will come together,” Colver said. “I hope I can help the younger teammates with my positive attitude. That is not always easy.”