Dinos swimming sensation dives deep into engineering

Alexanne Lepage has made a splash in her first few months at the University of Calgary.

She actually started the 2023-2024 academic year overseas, representing Canada at the World Aquatics Junior Swimming Championships in Israel, where she won two gold medals and a silver medal.

The product of Vernon, B.C. then began her studies at the Schulich School of Engineering while continuing her dominance in the pool with the Dinos swim team.

Lepage rode a wave of success including seven medals in the 2023 Canada West Swimming Championships en route to being named the Canada West Swimmer of the Year and Rookie of the Year.

“I love competing and being a part of the Dinos,” Lepage says. “To be able to receive those awards and represent our team was amazing and I’m so grateful to be a part of such a great group of people.”

New routines and challenges

Like many successful student-athletes, Lepage says time management is the key to success, adding she has always had a disciplined approach to academics and athletics.

While planning ahead as much as possible and then making time for whatever needs attention most in the moment have become pillars for her success, the Vernon Kokanee Swim Club alum admits she wasn’t initially sure what she wanted to pursue with her post-secondary education.

“I had always found physics and math to be some of my favourite courses,” Lepage says. “I decided engineering would be a good choice with lots of possible paths to take.”

At Schulich, she is getting a taste of the different engineering disciplines with the common first year before deciding which major she wants to pursue in her second year.

“There was definitely an adjustment, but the team and environment here made it pretty smooth,” Lepage says. “I think it was primarily just getting used to a new routine, but I’m enjoying myself now and working hard, which has made it a great transition.”

Not having to make that decision on her major right away has also allowed Lepage the opportunity to focus on her athletic endeavours.

Bringing home the hardware

Lepage has been impressive in her rookie season with the Dinos.

Her first meet was the Dino Invitational in late October, where she racked up gold medals in the 100-metre breaststroke, 200-metre breaststroke, 200-metre individual medley and 400-metre individual medley.

She also helped the women’s 400-metre medley relay team win gold as the Dinos finished second as a team.

A week later, Lepage was at it again setting four new lifetime-best times in those same four races on her way to another four gold medals at the Odlum Brown Colleges Cup.

That set the stage for the Canada West Championships, where she won four gold medals in a 24-hour span while also setting more personal bests.

Finding future success

After taking the winter break off, the Dinos swim team is now getting ready for the Colleges Cup – Mountain in early February before the USPORTS National Championships in March.

In between events, Lepage is focusing on her studies and hoping to find a field in engineering that she will enjoy in her future.

“I’m excited to try different areas out, figure out my specific interests in engineering and go from there,” she says. “I just hope in 10 years that I’m doing something I love.”