Jill Smolczyk could walk into South Dakota's Hall of Fame Friday. Literally.
She and husband, David, a fellow Coyote swimming & diving alum, live less than two miles from the Muenster University Center with their two daughters, Emma and Kora, and chocolate lab, Juneau. Their college coach,
Jason Mahowald, lives just down the road and could walk with them.
"We like small towns, the community and, obviously, we are familiar with Vermillion," said Smolczyk, who moved back to town a few years ago. Smolczyk works as a physical therapist at the Sanford Vermillion Medical Center and David teaches at Jolley Elementary School.
Jill (right) with sister, Amy, in high school.
That said, Smolczyk grew up the middle child in a competitive family in Omaha, Nebraska. Her dad was a golfer in college and mom played volleyball in high school. Smolczyk was a gymnast from ages 3 to 10 before finding diving. Her older sister, Amy, had made the same transition.
"It started as a summer recreational league with swimming and diving competitions between the pools, and then it turned into more of a year-round thing after that," said Smolczyk. "I'd say I just enjoyed doing it. Flipping was fun. My sister and one of my other best friends were doing it too.
"I remember in high school, we were going to work on a reverse one-and-a-half. So I kicked once and I landed flat on my back, which if you stop there, then you would never want to do it again. But I got up and did it again and landed flat on my stomach. It took a little bit of time to get over that one."
Thankfully, for the University of South Dakota, Smolczyk persevered past those first lessons and turned in a successful high school career. She placed fourth at the Nebraska state championship meet as a senior and wanted to continue diving in college despite not being heavily recruited to do so.
"I had a friend from high school who was going to USD, and another friend who was a diver who was looking at USD," said Smolczyk. "I came on a visit and I liked it. I liked the feel of the community and the family atmosphere of the team. The members were close, supported each other and were really good friends, and it was that overall feeling that seemed like the right decision."
The Coyotes' first meet of the 2004-05 season was a dual against UNI in Cedar Falls, Iowa. Smolczyk won both the 1- and 3-meter dives and qualified for nationals with 254.99 points in the 1-meter competition. It was the perfect start to an incredible career.
Smolczyk earned All-America honors in each of her first two seasons, placing fifth in the 1-meter dive in 2005 and seventh the following year as a sophomore. As a junior, she really took off. After winning NCC titles in both boards in 2007, she went on to take bronze in both competitions at nationals.
BUT WAIT.
What old media guides and press releases won't tell you is that Smolczyk tore her labrum at the North Central Conference meet that junior year. Despite the injury, she continued at the NCC meet, won both titles and earned her best finishes at the national meet.
"It hurt, but I was going to compete anyway," recalled Smolczyk. "I finished the season, had surgery in April, and they wouldn't let me dive again until October.
"My coaches would say that I was a bear to coach that year, because I was so anxious to get back on the boards. More than once they had to say 'no, you cannot dive today.'"
In reality, it wasn't until the team's holiday trip to San Diego that Smolczyk got close to full strength. That was less than three months from the NCC championships and less than four months from the national meet.
She started back on the 1-meter with easier dives before eventually getting back into flips. She quickly realized that she would have to take the reverse two-and-a-half out of her routine. The range of motion hadn't completely returned and it just didn't feel right. By January and February, everything started to click.
"My teammates were great," said Smolczyk. "They were my biggest competitors and best friends at the same time. We had that in practice every day and we were always pushing each other to be better. By the time conference came around, I was feeling pretty good."
Smolczyk successfully defended her NCC titles in both events with teammates Emilie Kluth and Hannah Roetzel all scoring points on both boards. That led to one last chance at nationals.
"Before they even let me dive my senior year, my coach told me he thought I could win nationals this year. And I was like, 'I can't even dive yet. That's not going to happen.'
"Nationals was at a completely new venue in Missouri and I remember I liked the feel of the boards. It was a nice facility."
The 3-meter competition was Wednesday in Columbia. Smolczyk was solid in the prelims and held a slight lead going into the last dive of finals.
"I choked," said Smolczyk. "And I think in any other circumstance, you finish second in the nation and that's awesome. But it had been in my sights, had a glimpse, choked, so yeah, I wasn't happy."
The 1-meter competition, the last of Smolczyk's collegiate career, was 48 hours later on Friday. A similar pattern was made – good numbers in the preliminary dives and a lead heading into finals.
"Redemption on the 1-meter," said Smolczyk. "I had a back one-and-a-half for my last dive on the 1-meter. It was a back two-and-a-half last on the 3-meter, so I had that in my mind standing up there.
"I remember it was still a close competition. I was last to dive so I knew the range of score I needed to get. Even when I hit the water, I wasn't sure. I came up, got to the wall, and then – celebration."
Smolczyk was just the fourth NCC national champion diver on the women's side, and she remains USD's lone national champion in swimming and diving. She was named 2008 NCAA Division II Women's Diver of the Year and finished as a six-time All-American. In addition, she was one of 30 nominees for the 2008 NCAA Woman of the Year Award, which recognizes those who have excelled in academics, athletics, community service and leadership.
On Friday, Smolczyk will join fellow inductees Jeana (Hoffman) Krome, Jenna (Hoffman) Kubesh, and Brian Alderson. In addition, special recognition will be given to the 1998 women's track and field team.
"I'm excited to be honored alongside some of the other athletes who were there during my time," said Smolczyk. "I remember the Hoffman sisters. We watched them play, and to be honored alongside a lot of those other great athletes and the ones who have come before me is a big honor."
