Illinois Wesleyan senior Danielle Owerko (Park Ridge, Ill., Maine South HS) has finished in the top five in all the College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin diving championships in which she has competed. In 2014, she was third in the 3-meter and fourth in the 1-meter; in 2013 she was fourth in the 3-meter and fifth in the 1-meter; and in 2012 she was all-conference as she was second in the 1-meter and third in the 3-meter diving.
A biology (pre-med) major at Illinois Wesleyan, she is the daughter of Joe and Irena Owerko. Her father was a soccer player at DePaul University in the mid 1980s and was inducted into the school's Hall of Fame in 2007.
Why you chose Illinois Wesleyan: I knew I wanted to go to a small school and Illinois Wesleyan also had an awesome Pre-med program. Then, once I had been accepted and came for my first campus visit, it just felt right.
IWU class you’re most qualified to teach: General Biology
The hardest challenge about being a Division III student-athlete is: Time management during season
Worst grade in a class you ever got – what and when? B- in Organic Chemistry
I’m deathly afraid of: Small spaces; I get claustrophobic in a crowded elevator!
Worst habit: Biting my nails
Most expensive traffic ticket: I’ve only had one speeding ticket…$220
Language I’d like to learn: Portuguese
The longest I could survive without my cell phone: A few months
One word your mother or father would use to describe you: Perfectionist
Favorite sports figure: Nastia Liukin
My greatest moment in sports was: Taking second place in conference as a freshman at IWU
The best player I ever faced was: Divers from the University of Chicago
Worst dresser on my team: Probably me—I basically wear sweats every day
Thing that’s been in my fridge the longest: Coffee creamer
Person I’m dying to have dinner with: Chef Bobby Flay, if he cooks the dinner!
Favorite food: Sushi
Vegetable I won’t eat: Warm carrots
Pepsi or Coke? Coke
Favorite TV show: "Nashville"
Favorite musical group: Blake Shelton
Favorite movie: "My Big Fat Greek Wedding"
If a movie were made of my life, I would like the following person to play me: Nina Dobrev
If my life were on TV as a reality show, I’d call it: "Work Hard, Play Hard"
The person in history I would most like to meet is: Martin Luther King, Jr.
My dream job would be: Working in a private practice as a pediatrician
Place I’d most like to live: Downtown Chicago
Two things that are tops on my “bucket list”: Learn how to Scuba dive and go skiing in the Carpathian Mountains in Ukraine
My possession that would fetch the most on eBay: My pearl earrings
Who is the luckiest person in the world? No one really jumps out at me
What I miss most about being in the third grade: Recess!
