FAYETTEVILLE, Arkansas — In her first season as a Razorback, swimmer Ashley Morton is learning day by day what it takes to be a Division I athlete.
"In high school I didn't do any sort of like weight lifting regimen, whereas here we lift Monday, Wednesday, Friday," said Morton.
It's showing in the pool as well. Morton was named SEC Freshman of the Week following her first collegiate meet where she earned a point in each event she swam including getting first place in the 200 backstroke.
"I think with Ashley what we've just found out is she's very attentive," said head coach Neil Harper. "You talk to her she looks you in the eye and then you go about telling her what some things that she either did wrong or she could change a little bit, and she goes and does it."
Coming from one of the top swimming clubs in Atlanta a few things drew the Georgia native to Fayetteville. From the campus to being apart of a team that focused on the team aspect of winning.
"In high school I swam for a club so it was very much an individual sport," said Morton. "If you don't do well, no one's getting let you cry on their shoulder. Here it's very much a team sport. If you do well, high five, if you do bad, high five."
With plenty of people in her corner, it's only up from here for Morton in her first collegiate season.
"I think sometimes it takes some of our athletes a few years to get going," said Harper. "I think the thing I'm proud about her and her peers this freshman year is that they're not going to wait to their sophomore year to get good they're not going to wait to make the most of it."
Arkansas hosts Missouri State Thursday, October 17th at 3 p.m.