Abby Maoz wins state as she prepares for LSU

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Mike Maoz

Abby Maoz swimming the 100 meter breastroke at junior nationals. Girls swimming junior nationals was held in Irvine, California.

The 2019-2020 school year has been nothing but special for junior Abby Maoz. As a swimmer and a student, she has accomplished more than most have at her age. Maoz began swimming when she was nine years old and developed a love for the sport around eleven. Her dreams of collegiate swimming came true when she verbally committed to Louisiana State University in Baton Rouge, Louisiana to swim breaststroke, two months into her junior year.

Not only is Maoz a gifted swimmer, but she is also a loved teammate on both the Wilsonville High School swim team and her club team, Tigard-Tualatin Swim Club. Wilsonville High School swim teammate, sophomore Riley Lawler, describes Maoz as supportive, energetic and someone who is always able to make someone’s day brighter.

On Friday, February 21st, Maoz attended the OSAA state swim meet where she placed first, winning her a state title in the 100-yard breaststroke. She also competed in the 200 IM, and two relays. In order to get where she is, winning state titles and committing to a division one school at the beginning of her junior year, she put in years of hard work. “Two years after I began swimming, I was frustrated I wasn’t good so I started practicing more than once a week. I typically have practice every day after school, practices on Sundays and morning practices two times a week.”

Over her years of training, Maoz has overcome obstacles when it comes to her size compared to people she competes with. Her club team swim coach, Brad Robbins, admits “Abby is not the tallest or the biggest/strongest swimmer on the team, but she is capable of swimming faster than swimmers who are bigger and stronger than she is.” Robbins also explains how the drive and commitment she has in order to beat out the bigger and stronger swimmers is inspirational to the coaches and her other teammates.

With a year and a half left of high school, Maoz plans on continuing her training at the level she is at currently. Her hope is to improve her times and continue training with her club team and competing in her senior season for Wilsonville before attending Louisiana State in the fall of 2021.