By Braden Keith on SwimSwam
Olympic bronze medalist Mona McSharry is taking the fall semester off to travel the United States before returning to the University of Tennessee to finish her 5th year of NCAA eligibility, a spokesperson for the team confirmed to SwimSwam this week.
McSharry, who is currently on the west coast, says that the break has been a plan for a while. “We knew this coming into the season,” the spokesperson said, adding that the team knew that a break was the plan coming into the season.
The trip, characterized as more of a sightseeing tour around America than any kind of training trip, have taken McSharry and her dog Luna mostly to the western U.S. The road trip began in Wyoming and so far has taken her to Yellowstone National Park, Tunnel Falls in Oregon, the Redwood National Forest in California, and most recently Yosemite National Park.
McSharry, who is from Ireland, won an Olympic bronze medal in Paris in the 100 breaststroke. That was her first major senior international medal in long course, though she won a World Junior Championship and two European Junior Championships in 2017.
At last year’s NCAA Championship meet, McSharry finished 2nd in the 100 breast and 200 breast and 22nd in the 50 free. Her 34 individual points were the second-most for the Tennessee women behind only current senior Josephine Fuller (44).
Swimming without McSharry on Thursday, the Tennessee women lost to Louisville 178.5-121.5 in their season opener against Louisville. McSharry’s presence might have made a 15-or-so point difference (they won the 200 medley relay and the 100 breast without her), but would have been unlikely to close that scoring gap.
Tennessee also returns Emelie Fast and brings in star freshman McKenzie Siroky for the breaststroke group this season. Without McSharry, they went 1-2 in the 100 breast in times of 59.51 and 59.92, respectively.
Read the full story on SwimSwam: Mona McSharry Will Sit Out the Fall Semester for Tennessee to Tour America