Q&A with Ryan Hurley

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Recent graduate Ryan Hurley is coming off a fantastic performance at the 2008 Olympic Trials in Omaha, Neb., where he earned a berth in the finals of the 200 breaststroke. VirginiaSports.com recently caught up with Hurley to discuss his experience at Trials, what he is up to the rest of the summer and what it will be like to swim for Virginia again this season.

Question: How did it feel to advance to the finals of the 200 breast at Olympic Trials?
Hurley: I had pretty high expectations of myself heading into the meet, and was confident I could make it to the finals. Because there are prelims, semifinals and finals, it was really important to focus on each race. Once I had made it into the top eight, I had to be prepared to swim a race that would put me in contention to be one of the top two. I am usually much more of a back half swimmer, but in the finals I knew I would have to take it out faster and still hopefully have my speed on the back half. Unfortunately I died pretty bad on the last fifty meters, but in the end I know that I did what I needed to do to be a serious contender.

Question: How was the overall atmosphere at Trials?
Hurley: The overall atmosphere at Trials was absolutely amazing in pretty much every aspect. From the fans, to the facility, to the competition everything was top notch. There is always a tremendous hype in the swimming world heading into Olympic Trials, so it was great to see that the final outcome did not disappoint.

Question: How was the pool in Omaha? Did it rate up there as one of your favorite places to swim?
Hurley: Like I said, the pool was great. I have been fortunate enough to swim in some really tremendous pools over the years, but I think what really makes the difference is the crowd. Having 15,000 people in an indoor arena watching a swim meet is just not something you see everyday, so I would have to say that the excitement that the crowd brought was probably what made the most difference.

Question: What was it like to have so many Virginia swimmers competing in such a big event?
Hurley: I loved being at Olympic Trials with so many of my teammates. All of us put in so many hours of hard work, and this meet was an opportunity for many of us to show that Virginia Swimming is a force to be reckoned with nationally, and for many of us to have some impressive individual races. There isn’t a group of people I would rather be with or have more respect for, because I see how much all of my teammates put into this sport mentally, physically and emotionally.

Question: What is the hardest part about training for such a big event like Olympic Trials?
Hurley: I think the hardest part of training for Olympic Trials for me was staying focused all year long. Beginning in August, I was devoting my entire year to swimming the best I possibly could at Trials. That single-mindedness and focus solely on one meet was mentally taxing. Coming into this year I knew it would be tough, but being surrounded by my teammates, and especially Pat Mellors, who took on the same challenge on redshirting this year to train, really helped.

Question: Now that Trials are over, what are you up to for the rest of the summer?
Hurley: I just decided a day or two ago that I am going to keep on training and go to the U.S. Open up in Minnesota at the end of the month. There are several men on the team that have a great chance at making the World University Games Team, which will be selected at the meet, so its right back to work for all of us. After U.S. Open I will finally get some time off, and hopefully get to vacation with my family for a little while.

Question: Are you looking forward to graduate school this fall?
Hurley: I graduated in the spring and the plan is to do a one year master’s program this coming year and get my M.Ed in Social Foundations at Curry. I jokingly tell people that I have a one-year plan, not a five-year plan, but that’s pretty much the truth. After that I’m thinking about working for a year or two and then maybe heading to law school.

Question: What will it be like to officially compete for Virginia again next season?
Hurley: I can’t wait to compete for Virginia again next year. There is something about college swimming, and being part of a team, especially here, that brings a much more exciting component to the sport. I am definitely ready to get back in the mix, especially after seeing how well all my teammates competed this past year at ACC’s and NCAA’s.

Question: What has been the best moment of your career thus far?
Hurley: I would have to say the most memorable moment was ACC’s my second year. On the last night of the competition, Vanja Rogulj, PJ Sullivan and I went 1-2-3 in the 200 breaststroke and the team went on to win by 7.5 points over Florida State. Being up on the podium with my two training partners was pretty awesome.

Question: Do you have any good Coach Bernardino quotes or sayings to share? Perhaps a favorite?
Hurley: I probably have a priceless Mark Bernardino quote from everyday of my career here at Virginia. It’s definitely a lot easier to make it through practice when he’s on deck making jokes and motivating us. I’d have to say the best advice he or anyone else has ever given me is to have fun. Otherwise, it’s just swimming back and forth a whole lot of times for nothing.

Question: What is your favorite spot on Grounds?
Hurley: I really love the Lawn, but I also really like to watch our other sports teams play, so I would have to throw Scott Stadium, JPJ, Klckner, Davenport and Mem Gym on the list. The AFC is pretty cool too when we have meets there. You all should stop by if you haven’t been.