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Third-year Garrett Wren and the Virginia swimming and diving teams are back in action this week, playing host to the UVa Invitational at the Aquatic and Fitness Center. The three-day meet begins with prelims at 11 a.m. Thursday and Friday, with finals at 6 p.m. The event concludes Saturday with prelims at 10 a.m. and finals at 5 p.m. Wren recently sat down with VirginiaSports.com to chat about the season thus far, what it’s like having his brother, David, as a teammate this year and what he likes to do for fun.
Question: How much does a meet like the one this weekend help you prepare for what’s ahead during the spring?
Wren: The biggest part is for the first years to get a feel for how the meet is going to go and to learn the time line of events and orders. For the veterans who have done it before, it will be a good comparison to this point last year.
Question: How would you say the team has done so far this year?
Wren: It has been a very positive first semester. I think for most people and for the team we have been ahead of where we were at this point last year. I think those are all good signs pointing towards the spring.
Question: How did you first get involved in swimming?
Wren: I started lessons when I was real little. I first started swimming competitively when I was seven in a summer league. Then I started swimming year round and doing nine or 10 workouts a week when I was 1. I also played many other sports in middle school but when I got to high school I just focused on swimming.
Question: What do you love about the sport?
Wren: In college the team atmosphere makes it so much more exciting. Training with everybody and then watching everybody and cheering for them at the meets makes everyone so much more excited.
Question: What is your favorite event to swim?
Wren: The 500 free because there is a good cross between speed and endurance. There is a little strategy and that makes it exciting.
Question: What is it like this year having your brother here at UVa?
Wren: It has been really good so far. He has fit in really well and has done well both in the pool and in school. It has been very positive.
Question: What are your hobbies? What do you like to do for fun when you are not swimming?
Wren: I like to watch movies. This summer, I worked on some woodworking projects and I enjoyed that a lot.
Question: What is your major and what are your career aspirations once you are done with college?
Wren: I am chemistry major and I plan on going to medical school to be a pediatrician. I love interacting with young kids from the times when I coached a youth summer league team.
Question: What has your favorite class at UVa been thus far?
Wren: My favorite would have to be organic chemistry because it is very practical in everyday life. It really made sense to me and I had a great professor and that really made me realize that a chemistry major was the right thing for me.
Question: What is your favorite spot on grounds?
Wren: I would have to say O-Hill because I spend so much time there eating.