Student Athlete Spotlight: Andrew Appleby, Men’s Swimming – Ohio State Buckeyes
7/20/2015 12:00:00 AM | Men's Swim & Dive
July 20, 2015
Andrew Appleby is entering his third year on the Ohio State men’s swimming team as a specialist in backstroke and freestyle events for the Buckeyes. The native of Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio finished his sophomore season in a bang being a part of the school record setting and ninth place finishing 400 freestyle relay at the NCAA Championships. Recently, Appleby was named an outright CSAA Scholar All-American for his outstanding performances in the pool and the classroom. Besides qualifying for the 2016 Olympic Trials this summer, Appleby is hard at work outside McCorkle Aquatic Pavilion interning with Bucks Go Pro in the ticket office. He aspires to achieve Certified Public Accountant status and work for a Big Four accounting firm, so his internship with the Ohio State Department of Athletics is helping him head in the right direction.
Student Life
- What is the best time of year on campus? Personally, I like the fall the most. It’s the earlier portion of the swimming season, the weather is great and everyone’s excited about football season.
- What is your preferred mode of transportation to class? I love walking on campus. It’s relaxing and gives you time to think about things.
- Have you switched your major? If so, how many times and why and if not, how did you know your major was “the one”? I’ve switched my major once and it was from Accounting to Marketing. I knew I wanted to do something business-oriented, but I wasn’t totally sure what I wanted to specialize in. I initially declared an Accounting specialization, but I decided to change to Marketing because I enjoy the creativity and interpersonal interaction it requires.
- What has been your favorite or most interesting class at OSU? My favorite classes at OSU so far were Accountings 1 and 2 because I really like how the professor (Marc Smith) structured the course and the problems.
- If you had to give an incoming student advice, what would it be? Make sure you over prepare for your exams and other assignments. It’s the only way to ensure your success.
Pop Culture
- What social media do you prefer the most? I probably check Twitter the most.
- Which do you watch more: Netflix or TV? Netflix.
- Would you rather read the book or watch the movie? Watch a movie, since it’s hard to find the time to read a book.
- What song can you not help but sing-a-long to? Pretty much anything I really like and know the words to.
- What was the last movie that you saw in theaters? Jurassic World, and I’d definitely recommend it if you like crazy dinosaur violence.
Sports
- When is your favorite time of your sport’s season? I love the end of the season because it’s the time when hard work pays off, your personal improvements begin to show and you get to watch your teammates swim fast as well.
- Which team do you most look forward to competing against? I love competing against TheTeam Up North because I love to feel the tension in the air during the meet. I enjoy the pressure that comes with the rivalry.
- Do you have any pre-game/match superstitions or rituals? I have small routines I like to do before my races, but no major superstitions or rituals.
- What is your favorite part about your sport? The effort and consistency it requires. We work hard all year with a focus on one meet or even one race. Nothing feels better than having an incredible swim, going your best time and realizing all of your hard work has paid off.
- What is your favorite athletic memory? Competing at Big 10s and NCAAs as a Buckeye. I’ve wanted to swim here for as long as I can remember, and those moments made all the work I’ve put into this sport worth it.
Food
- Where is your favorite place to eat at in Columbus? Mad Mex! They make some awesome burritos.
- What is the best meal you have ever eaten, and where did you get it from/who made it? I can’t remember specifically, but it was probably something homemade by my parents.
- Do you have a sweet tooth and if you do, what is your favorite treat? I definitely have a sweet tooth. My favorite treats are cheesecake and ice cream.
Miscellaneous
- When you are not at practice, what could someone find you doing? They’d find me either lifting, studying, watching Netflix or hanging out with my friends.
- If you could play another sport other than yours, what would it be? Probably baseball or basketball.
- If you won the lottery, what would you do? I would probably save about half of it, give a good portion to charity and splurge on something for today, like a nice car or a house.
- What do you most look forward to doing during the summer? Being able to enjoy the sport of swimming without the added stress of school.
- If you were a superhero, what would your superpower be? I would love to have either super strength or super speed.
- Do you have an interesting nickname? I’ve had a lot of nicknames based on my last name. I think the most popular one is Appletree.
- If you could switch places with anyone on your team for a day, who would you choose? Probably DJ McDonald, so I could know what it’s like to be awesome at breaststroke for a day.
- What is the best piece of advice you have ever received? When I first started swimming, my coach used to constantly tell me “hard work beats talent when talent doesn’t work hard.” That mentality has driven me throughout my swimming career, and I believe it is applicable to all aspects of life.
- If you could witness any event of the past, present, or future, what would it be? I’d like to go back in time to see how the universe was created.
- Would you be the first O, H, I or last O in a picture? The H.
- What is your favorite part about being a Buckeye? Being able to compete for and represent this incredible university as well as the memories I’ve made with friends on my team.
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