INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. – Salem College swimmer Olivia Kleven has been nominated for the 2021 NCAA Woman of the Year, which honors the academic achievements, athletics excellence, community service and leadership of graduating female college athletes from all three divisions.
Earlier this year, Kleven earned Scholar Athlete of the Year Award from the Salem College Department of Athletics after posting the highest cumulative grade point average. She graduated in May with a bachelor of science in biochemistry and a bachelor of arts in chemistry while minoring in mathematics. She is working towards becoming a physician assistant specializing in pediatric hematology and oncology.
In her only season as a competitive swimmer, Kleven established Salem's single-season program-record for most Top-3 finishes (16) after competing in eight events over the course of the 2019-20 campaign. Additionally, she set the single-season program-record for most first-place finishes (eight) in 2019-20.
Kleven earned her first individual title of the 2019-20 season in the 100 breaststroke (1:19.35) at the William Peace Invite on October 19. In that same meet, she finished second in both the 200 freestyle (2:19.77) and the 200 individual medley (2:41.95).
One week later she picked up three more Top-3 finishes at the Greensboro College Dual by placing second in the 100 breaststroke (1:19.37) and third in both the 100 freestyle (1:04.29) and the 2000 individual medley (2:39.18).
Kleven used the momentum she established in October to open November with first-place finishes in both the 100 individual medley (1:10.07), which set a program record, and 100 breaststroke (1:16.78) in the dual meet with Pfeiffer on November 9th. In the clash with Pfeiffer, she also teamed with Corrin Shores, Ashleigh Nelson and Amy Stutzer in the 200 freestyle relay (2:09.28) to finish first. One week later, she capped off the Guilford / Sweet Briar Dual with two first-place performances in the 100 breaststroke (1:17.19) and the 200 individual medley (2:37.09).
Kleven wrapped up the 2019 calendar year by finishing first and establishing new program records in both the 200 breaststroke (2:51.76) and the 100 breaststroke (1:16.31), which resulted in a third-place finish, at the Greensboro / Virginia Wesleyan Dual on December 7th. In that meet, she joined her teammates Rachel Black, Amy Stutzer and Corrin Shores, to post a third-place finish in the 200 medley relay (2:33.46).
On January 18th, Kleven streaked down the lanes of the 200 individual medley (2:36.77) and 100 breaststroke (1:19.06) to claim first in both events at the Guilford / Greensboro Dual. On that same afternoon, she completed the 200 medley relay in second alongside teammates Corrin Shores, Rachel Black and Amy Stutzer (2:30.50).
In what proved to be Kleven's final race of her career, with COVID-19 taking away the opportunity to compete in 2020-21, she wrapped up the 2019-20 season at the Pfeiffer Dual (Feb. 1) by finishing second in the 200 individual medley (2:38.42) and third in the 100 breaststroke (1:17.51). She also repeated a first-place finish in the 200 freestyle relay, alongside Corrin Shores, Allison Wakefield and Rachel Black against the Falcons (Feb. 1) in a time of 2:06.61.