Lindsey McKnight forgot her homework when she left the apartment of Taylor McKnight, her older sister, on Wednesday morning. With about an hour left before class, a quick phone call helped Lindsey turn in her assignment on time. Lindsey knew she could count on Taylor as a sister and a teammate.
Before Lindsey, a freshman on the Florida swimming and diving team, chose to attend the same school as her big sister, she sifted through a variety of scholarship offers including Cal and USC.
Lindsey, who chose swimming at age 7 after realizing she hated playing sports in the heat, said she and Taylor have always been close. Her experience cheering her sister's university was a factor in her choosing UF. If she didn’t have her older sister with her, Lindsey doesn’t think she’d be doing as well as she is in her first college semester.
“I’m definitely adjusting better than I thought I would,” Lindsey said. “[Taylor] is so organized and always on a strict schedule, and I’m just everywhere. … If she weren’t here I would have been a mess like some of the other freshmen.”
Taylor’s roommate and fellow UF swimmer Elizabeth Beisel has also served as a mentor, Lindsey said. Lindsey, who graduated from Coral Springs American Heritage High, moved to Florida from Rhode Island as a child.
Beisel is from North Kingstown, R.I.
Lindsey said that when she returned to Rhode Island in past summers to visit family, she and Beisel became close by swimming together.
“[Beisel is] definitely someone I look up to just because of all her accomplishments and her awesome personality,” Lindsey said.
Florida's men's (3-0, 3-0 Southeastern Conference) and women’s (1-2, 1-2 SEC) teams will renew a popular rivalry on Thursday when they travel to Florida State. The dual meet will mark the second time that Lindsey, a freestyle and IM swimmer, has faced FSU. The Seminoles finished second to the Gators in the All Florida Invitational in September. Lindsey bragged that the Seminoles swimmers banging trash cans and war chanting didn't help at the invitational, and she doesn’t think it will prove effective Thursday.
“We beat them pretty bad,” Lindsey said, with an ear-to-ear smile.
Lindsey said that she was one of few from Coral Springs to choose UF instead of FSU.
“You’re born one way or the other, Seminole or Gator,” Lindsey said.
