The University of Akron Athletics
A Closer Look at Team USA Paralympic National Team Member Grace Nuhfer
October 11 | Women's Swimming & Diving
AKRON, Ohio – Akron junior swimmer Grace Nuhfer (Greenwood, Ind.) overcame physical challenges to compete at the collegiate level and now is a member of Team USA Paralympic National Team, representing the United States at the Parapan American Games in Santiago, Chile in November 2023.
While qualifying for the Parapan American Games, Nuhfer broke the American record for the 200 Butterfly in long course meters S13 classification, which is for athletes [that] have the least severe vision impairment eligible for Paralympic sport. They have the highest visual acuity and/or a visual field of less than 20 degrees radius. (Paralympic.org - https://bit.ly/46HSOyb)
"Grace brings enthusiasm to the pool deck each and every day," Akron head swimming and diving coach Brian Peresie said. "If someone tells her that she cannot do something, she immediately begins figuring out how to prove them wrong. She is and has been a great addition to our program. She is a model student-athlete and has overcome tremendous adversity to be where she is today. I could not be more proud of her and I look forward to continuing to be part of her journey."
Nuhfer was raised in Greenwood, Ind., about 25 minutes outside of Indianapolis, and is considered legally blind. She was born with Brittle Cornea Syndrome, a type of Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome characterized by corneal thinning and loose ligaments in joints.
An active child who loved sports, Nuhfer began swimming competitively at the age of seven. While in high school, competing at the collegiate level became a realization but the Akron Swimming & Diving program was not originally in her sights.
"Akron wasn't really on my radar for a while, there was another school closer to home where I had a spot on the team, but because of COVID, things fell through," said Nuhfer. "Close college friends to my parents had a daughter that swam for Akron, and told me to look into becoming a Zip. So, I reached out and had great conversations by phone with the coaches. I visited campus, it was a little disconnected because of COVID, but I was able to meet some of the team members. I felt so excited when I was here and knew this was where I wanted to be. I was looking for a team that encouraged each other and when the swimmers and the coach talked about the team, I knew Akron would push me athletically and encourage me through it."
Once she arrived to campus, Nuhfer recounted the challenges she faced adjusting to being a college athlete.
"It was a huge adjustment and started a little rocky at first," explained Nuhfer. "I wasn't fully conscience to the level of competition and work it would take for me to get where I wanted to be as a swimmer, and I was not completely prepared for balancing the lifestyle with the new independence, training changes, classes and being five hours from home. Now, I appreciate the journey. It has made me a more grounded and confident college athlete."
Nuhfer was excited to swim at Akron for Coach Peresie and the team culture he created over the last 10 years.
"Coach Peresie is a very creative and consistent coach, and I needed that," shared Nuhfer. "Growing up I went through six or seven head coaching changes in the span of nine years. His coaching is just at another level. He really transforms all the athletes as soon as they step on deck. He has expectations and standards, but he truly cares about each of us individually as a person, in and out of the water. For me, if I grind in training then that helps with my confidence during competition. When he pushes us to our max at practice, I think about that behind the block during competition to prepare myself. Our team has an encouraging atmosphere during practice, that helped our program get to the top and stay there. We are in it for each other and want to see each other thrive. I think a big part in why we are all successful is the way that we are all motivated and encouraged by each other to get to that point."
Nuhfer typically competes in the 100- and 200-yard butterfly events along with some sprint freestyle and relays.
"I was so excited to get an Akron suit," said Nuhfer. "I was so nervous for my first meet, but knowing that this was going to be the start of something great. Then that first relay I remember vividly that I was so anxious, but in a good way. Having such a huge support system and an encouraging team really gave me the confidence to go and perform and swim for the school. It was a great feeling."
Nuhfer was aware of Paralympics but had always competed against able-bodied swimmers. With encouragement from the Akron Swimming and Diving team, social media, and the recent movement to include para-athletes with regular athletes, she realized she wanted to be a part of that movement and advocate for more accessibility for everyone.
"Last year I started the process of getting classified for the correct classification of para-swimming," explained Nuhfer. "After working on this process for a while, I flew to Minnesota for a World Series Meet to get officially classified internationally. My plan was to swim in that meet, but wrist surgery changed those plans, and I worked with the Paralympic Committee to achieve those goals, which then sent me to a meet in California. It was the last chance to qualify for the Parapan American Games."
Nuhfer set her sights on qualifying for the Parapan American Games and took the trip to California as the next step.
"It was my first para meet, and I wasn't sure what to expect but it was super exciting," Nuhfer said. "I'm still learning what the world of para-swimming entails but after my first race, the other athletes were telling me "Congrats you made the National Team and that's so hard to do," but I was confused as to what they meant. My time hit the C Standard in the 50 freestyle, which isn't necessarily my best event. The next day, I swam the 100 butterfly, one of my better events, and I hit the B Standard, everyone was so encouraging. Those two times officially put me on the Team USA Paralympic National Team. I am very proud of this accomplishment and an opportunity to compete on an international level."
But making the National Team was not the only thing Nuhfer did during her time in California.
"I swam a few other races and didn't really think anything of it at the time," explained Nuhfer. "When I was discussing the experience with one of the other athletes I met in California, we were going through the results, and she was explaining what being on the National Team meant. As we looked over the long-course American records, we realized the long-course American record for the 200 butterfly is 2:31, and I swam a 2:30 at the meet. Wow, we realized that I had broken an American record. Next, I emailed the Paralympic Committee and asked if it was true. They responded that I had in fact broken the record and made the National Team. I think part of the reason it was so nonchalant was because the 200 butterfly is not a specific event for my classification, therefore it is not an event that admin and the specific committee members are necessarily looking at because girls in my classification don't typically swim it."
To top off all her accomplishments at the qualifying meet, on Friday, Sept. 22, Nuhfer was notified that she was selected for a roster spot on Team USA for the Parapan American Games this November in Santiago, Chile.
"I'm supposed to graduate in the spring of 2025 with my degree in Business Data Analytics with a focus in Marketing and a minor in Philosophy/Pre-Law. I'm not sure what will come after that because with all these Paralympic opportunities now, I might try to keep swimming and see what happens in the future. My ultimate goal is to compete at the Paralympics in Paris next year, and to qualify for the Games, you have to have swim at the World Championships or the Parapan American Games in the year prior."
Before Nuhfer heads to Santiago, she will begin competition with the Zips for the 2023-2024 season. Akron opens the season this Friday hosting the two-day Zips Classic. Nuhfer will be on a roster of thirty swimmers and divers that look to start the journey of defending their MAC Championship title.
U.S. Paralympics Swimming Names 33 Athletes to 2023 Parapan American Games Roster: https://www.usparaswimming.org/news/2023/september/25/u-s-paralympics-swimming-names-33-athletes-to-2023-parapan-american-games-roster
While qualifying for the Parapan American Games, Nuhfer broke the American record for the 200 Butterfly in long course meters S13 classification, which is for athletes [that] have the least severe vision impairment eligible for Paralympic sport. They have the highest visual acuity and/or a visual field of less than 20 degrees radius. (Paralympic.org - https://bit.ly/46HSOyb)
"Grace brings enthusiasm to the pool deck each and every day," Akron head swimming and diving coach Brian Peresie said. "If someone tells her that she cannot do something, she immediately begins figuring out how to prove them wrong. She is and has been a great addition to our program. She is a model student-athlete and has overcome tremendous adversity to be where she is today. I could not be more proud of her and I look forward to continuing to be part of her journey."
Nuhfer was raised in Greenwood, Ind., about 25 minutes outside of Indianapolis, and is considered legally blind. She was born with Brittle Cornea Syndrome, a type of Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome characterized by corneal thinning and loose ligaments in joints.
An active child who loved sports, Nuhfer began swimming competitively at the age of seven. While in high school, competing at the collegiate level became a realization but the Akron Swimming & Diving program was not originally in her sights.
"Akron wasn't really on my radar for a while, there was another school closer to home where I had a spot on the team, but because of COVID, things fell through," said Nuhfer. "Close college friends to my parents had a daughter that swam for Akron, and told me to look into becoming a Zip. So, I reached out and had great conversations by phone with the coaches. I visited campus, it was a little disconnected because of COVID, but I was able to meet some of the team members. I felt so excited when I was here and knew this was where I wanted to be. I was looking for a team that encouraged each other and when the swimmers and the coach talked about the team, I knew Akron would push me athletically and encourage me through it."
Once she arrived to campus, Nuhfer recounted the challenges she faced adjusting to being a college athlete.
"It was a huge adjustment and started a little rocky at first," explained Nuhfer. "I wasn't fully conscience to the level of competition and work it would take for me to get where I wanted to be as a swimmer, and I was not completely prepared for balancing the lifestyle with the new independence, training changes, classes and being five hours from home. Now, I appreciate the journey. It has made me a more grounded and confident college athlete."
Nuhfer was excited to swim at Akron for Coach Peresie and the team culture he created over the last 10 years.
"Coach Peresie is a very creative and consistent coach, and I needed that," shared Nuhfer. "Growing up I went through six or seven head coaching changes in the span of nine years. His coaching is just at another level. He really transforms all the athletes as soon as they step on deck. He has expectations and standards, but he truly cares about each of us individually as a person, in and out of the water. For me, if I grind in training then that helps with my confidence during competition. When he pushes us to our max at practice, I think about that behind the block during competition to prepare myself. Our team has an encouraging atmosphere during practice, that helped our program get to the top and stay there. We are in it for each other and want to see each other thrive. I think a big part in why we are all successful is the way that we are all motivated and encouraged by each other to get to that point."
Nuhfer typically competes in the 100- and 200-yard butterfly events along with some sprint freestyle and relays.
"I was so excited to get an Akron suit," said Nuhfer. "I was so nervous for my first meet, but knowing that this was going to be the start of something great. Then that first relay I remember vividly that I was so anxious, but in a good way. Having such a huge support system and an encouraging team really gave me the confidence to go and perform and swim for the school. It was a great feeling."
Nuhfer was aware of Paralympics but had always competed against able-bodied swimmers. With encouragement from the Akron Swimming and Diving team, social media, and the recent movement to include para-athletes with regular athletes, she realized she wanted to be a part of that movement and advocate for more accessibility for everyone.
"Last year I started the process of getting classified for the correct classification of para-swimming," explained Nuhfer. "After working on this process for a while, I flew to Minnesota for a World Series Meet to get officially classified internationally. My plan was to swim in that meet, but wrist surgery changed those plans, and I worked with the Paralympic Committee to achieve those goals, which then sent me to a meet in California. It was the last chance to qualify for the Parapan American Games."Nuhfer set her sights on qualifying for the Parapan American Games and took the trip to California as the next step.
"It was my first para meet, and I wasn't sure what to expect but it was super exciting," Nuhfer said. "I'm still learning what the world of para-swimming entails but after my first race, the other athletes were telling me "Congrats you made the National Team and that's so hard to do," but I was confused as to what they meant. My time hit the C Standard in the 50 freestyle, which isn't necessarily my best event. The next day, I swam the 100 butterfly, one of my better events, and I hit the B Standard, everyone was so encouraging. Those two times officially put me on the Team USA Paralympic National Team. I am very proud of this accomplishment and an opportunity to compete on an international level."
But making the National Team was not the only thing Nuhfer did during her time in California.
"I swam a few other races and didn't really think anything of it at the time," explained Nuhfer. "When I was discussing the experience with one of the other athletes I met in California, we were going through the results, and she was explaining what being on the National Team meant. As we looked over the long-course American records, we realized the long-course American record for the 200 butterfly is 2:31, and I swam a 2:30 at the meet. Wow, we realized that I had broken an American record. Next, I emailed the Paralympic Committee and asked if it was true. They responded that I had in fact broken the record and made the National Team. I think part of the reason it was so nonchalant was because the 200 butterfly is not a specific event for my classification, therefore it is not an event that admin and the specific committee members are necessarily looking at because girls in my classification don't typically swim it."
To top off all her accomplishments at the qualifying meet, on Friday, Sept. 22, Nuhfer was notified that she was selected for a roster spot on Team USA for the Parapan American Games this November in Santiago, Chile.
"I'm supposed to graduate in the spring of 2025 with my degree in Business Data Analytics with a focus in Marketing and a minor in Philosophy/Pre-Law. I'm not sure what will come after that because with all these Paralympic opportunities now, I might try to keep swimming and see what happens in the future. My ultimate goal is to compete at the Paralympics in Paris next year, and to qualify for the Games, you have to have swim at the World Championships or the Parapan American Games in the year prior."
Before Nuhfer heads to Santiago, she will begin competition with the Zips for the 2023-2024 season. Akron opens the season this Friday hosting the two-day Zips Classic. Nuhfer will be on a roster of thirty swimmers and divers that look to start the journey of defending their MAC Championship title.
U.S. Paralympics Swimming Names 33 Athletes to 2023 Parapan American Games Roster: https://www.usparaswimming.org/news/2023/september/25/u-s-paralympics-swimming-names-33-athletes-to-2023-parapan-american-games-roster
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