Rachel Van Noordt has enjoyed a phenomenal collegiate swimming career after only two years representing the Bulldogs. After a successful first year with the program, Van Noordt earned the well-deserved nickname, Rachel Best Time Van Noordt.
Background
Van Noordt grew up in Oak Island, North Carolina with her parents, siblings and Siamese cat. She first put on her cap and goggles for a summer league team at age eight.
Van Noordt joined Cape Fear Swim Team and then Brunswick Aquatics Club after enjoying summer rec swimming. However, she left her greatest legacy with the South Brunswick High School Swim Team. While balancing her schoolwork as a National Honors Society member, she also graduated with three school records. As captain of her high school team, Van Noordt was also the first swimmer from the school to compete in collegiate athletics.
Freshman Year
Van Noordt swam the 200 freestyle and 500 freestyle at nearly every dual meet for the Blue and White, placing first in the 200 against NC A&T. Seemingly every time she dove in the pool she raced to a personal best time. By the end of Asheville’s mid season invitational, Van Noordt had dropped six seconds in the 200 freestyle, two seconds in the 100 freestyle and twenty seconds in the 500 freestyle. At the 2014 CCSA Championships, she was a member of the 800 freestyle relay, scoring valuable eighth place points for Asheville. Additionally, all of her individual events were personal best swims. By the end of the season, Van Noordt had dropped two and a half seconds in the 100 freestyle, nine seconds in the 200 freestyle and nearly 25 seconds in the 500 freestyle. She finished the season voted Most Improved by her teammates.
Sophomore Year
Although Van Noordt began swimming longer events like the 1000 freestyle, she continued to specialize in mid-distance freestyle. After a successful regular season scoring points for the Bulldogs at dual meets, Van Noordt was well prepared for Asheville’s mid-season invitational. Her 500 freestyle time of 5:24.82 was a personal best by three seconds. Van Noordt continued to shave off time at the 2015 CCSA Championships. She swam a lifetime best in the 500 freestyle, touching the wall at 5:22.82. She swam another personal best in the 50 freestyle, finishing at 25.79. Continuing her success, she swam a personal best time of 55.20 in the 100 freestyle. Van Noordt was most excited about breaking the two-minute barrier in the 200 freestyle, racing a lifetime best of 1:59.44. She finished the season with CCSA All-Academic Honors.
UNC Asheville Volunteering/Clubs
- Rocky’s Readers
- MLK Day of Service
- Asheville City Half Marathon
- Future Bulldogs Program
- Hall Council
- Gaming Club
- Anime Club
- National Girls and Women in Sports Day
- Manna Food Bank Food Packaging Day
Best Times
50 Freestyle: 25.79
100 Freestyle: 55.20
200 Freestyle: 1:59.44
500 Freestyle: 5:22.82
