in San Antonio, Texas.

"My feelings are kind of all over the place right now," said Connell, who ventured to NAU on her own in 2009 before her three mates from down under joined the program the following year. "I'm happy that I've had the opportunity to spend four years here but at the same time it's sad that it's ending. I'm excited because it's finally our chance to show what we've got at the end of the season."

The only other international member of the team during Connell's freshman year was Canadian Chalene Dirks-Ryan, who had a shorter distance to travel to get to NAU than other American teammates from Hawaii and Alaska. While Connell was able to make the adjustment and perform exceptionally well as a freshman, winningWAC titles in both the 100 and 200 backstroke, she was thrilled when Burnes, Lowther, and Palmer joined her for the 2010-11 season.

"I look back to freshman year and think that I adjusted really well considering that there weren't any other internationals from my area of the world, but they made it easier," Connell said. "When you're having a hard day you can talk to them and they know exactly what you are going through as far as distance and being away from family and everything."

Burnes and Connell had known each other since their early teens, and knowing that her country mate had made the successful venture to Northern Arizona gave Burnes the confidence to join her.

"I'd competed against Fi for multiple years," Burnes said. "We raced each