Illinois Wesleyan senior Katie McHugh is a multiple all-College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin performer and an All-American (200 butterfly, 800 free relay) as a swimmer for the Titans.
She holds the IWU school individual records in the 100 and 200 butterfly and 200 individual medley. and is part of four record-holding relay teams - the 200 and 400 medley and the 400 and 800 freestyle relays.
She has been chosen "Women's Swimmer of the Week" in the CCIW three times in her career.
An environmental studies major with a minor in health at Illinois Wesleyan, she is the daughter of Liz Riley and Don McHugh.
Why you chose Illinois Wesleyan: IWU has the perfect combination of academics and athletics. I am getting a great education and contributing to my team.
IWU class you’re most qualified to teach: I helped Coach Fish teach "Beginning Swimming" last semester while she was recovering from surgery, so I guess I am pretty qualified to do that.
The hardest challenge about being a Division III student-athlete is: Not always being respected for the level of work we put in just because we aren’t DI.
Worst grade in a class you ever got – what and when? My advisor from freshman year thought it would be a good idea for me to take "Human Anatomy." I proved him wrong.
I’m deathly afraid of ... : Swimming in shallow water with sea weed. Oh, and female body builders. Yikes.
Worst habit: My facial expressions give away everything I am thinking.
Most expensive traffic ticket: $150 for speeding. I took online traffic school and my record is squeaky clean again.
Language I’d like to learn: I’m more interested in being able to speak convincingly in every accent.
The longest I could survive without my cell phone: A few days.
One word your mother or father would use to describe you: Thoughtful.
Favorite sports figure: It’s hard not to look up to Missy Franklin.
My greatest moment in sports was: 10th place finish at NCAAs last year in the 200 fly.
The best player I ever faced was: Logan Todhunter of Williams. She has the most individual NCAA titles in DIII history. I swam the 100 fly in the lane next to her at NCAAs my freshman year. She set a new national record, and I bet even my parents weren’t watching me during that race.
Worst dresser on my team: Ross Tollefson. If you catch him on a good day you can see him working out in a “shirt” with more holes than actual fabric.
Thing that’s been in my fridge the longest: We just cleaned out our fridge for winter break, but there was a giant pickle jar in there for a year and a half.
Favorite food: Bacon.
Vegetable I won’t eat: Brussels sprouts.
Pepsi or Coke?: Pepsi!
Favorite TV show: “Parks and Recreation”, “How I Met Your Mother”, and “Criminal Minds”.
Favorite musical group: I’m not picky at all. I do want someone to take me to a Luke Bryan concert, though.
Favorite movie: “Mean Girls”.
If a movie were made of my life, I would like the following person to play me: Amanda Bynes… before her legal issues.
If my life were on TV as a reality show, I’d call it: “True Life: It’s Time for Practice Again” and nobody would ever watch because swimming laps is boring.
The person in history I would most like to meet is: Jesus Christ.
My dream job would be: If you figure that one out be sure to let me know.
Place I’d most like to live: Anywhere on a lake.
Two things that are tops on my “bucket list”: See an Olympic event live and scuba dive at the Great Barrier Reef.
My possession that would fetch the most on eBay: My car.
Who is the luckiest person in the world? The bun in Kate Middleton’s oven.
What I miss most about being in the third grade: Playing after school with my best friend.
