LOS FRESNOS — Los Fresnos swimmer Jada Ashford never lost in an individual race at a Class 6A regional meet in all four years at Los Fresnos High School.
Ashford is staying in the region by signing with the University of Incarnate Word’s NCAA Division I swimming program. Ashford signed with the school from San Antonio on Thursday at Los Fresnos High School.
“I was waiting for the perfect opportunity to swim,” Ashford said. “I had toured some schools and received offers, but I just did not feel 100% matched with them.”
Ashford mulled over the decision to secure opportunities educationally. Ashford wants to be a nurse and wanted to make sure if she did swim for a university that it had nursing program.
Incarnate Word does, making it a perfect fit for Los Fresnos’ standout swimmer.
“It matched both my educational goals and athletic goals,” Ashford said. “I kind of wanted to put swimming on the back burner, focus on my career, but now that this came up I thought maybe I can manage both.”
Ashford was sensational in her time swimming in UIL events for the Falcons. Ashford swam sprint freestyle events, butterfly and relays mainly for the Falcons.
Ashford figures she is going to be a 50-yard freestyle swimmer, her best event while in high school.
Los Fresnos swimming and diving head coach Jaime Perez plans on taking a bus filled with Falcons to watch Ashford swim at the highest collegiate level.
Perez was grateful for having Ashford in his program, he said.
“Jada has really improved our program by raising the bar,” he said. “Our saying in our program is: ‘Good, better, best, never let it rest until your good is better and your better is best.’ Jada has really been the best swimmer we ever had.”
All of Ashford’s records and accomplishments helped motivate the team, Perez said.
“Getting that kind of help from an athlete is priceless,” Perez said.