When Heidi Kucera first arrived at UC Davis in 2006, she did so with her heart set on not one, but three sports: swimming, water polo... and rodeo. In fact, the Menlo-Atherton grad had chosen the university because it had the unique distinction of offering all three programs. Plus, it was to water polo that she signed her National Letter of Intent.
In the end, it was the Aggie swimming and diving team for which Kucera enjoyed her greatest success. From 2006 through 2011, she won a total of seven conference championships – four in individual events plus three more in relays. Kucera also set school records in both breaststroke events, both individual medleys, the 200-yard freestyle, and as part of the 400 freestyle relay. More than six years later, three of those records remain unbroken: the 100 breast, 200 breast and 200 IM.
Her 2008-09 season was arguably Kucera’s most decorated. Thanks to Big West titles in the 200 IM, 100 breast and 800 free relay, she earned the league’s Female Athlete of the Year award for swimming and diving. Kucera also claimed the university’s Hubert Heitman Award as the top female student-athlete of the year. Additionally, her school-record of 2:09.41 in the 200 breast hit national “A” qualifying standards, making her the first female swimmer of UC Davis’ D-I era to compete at the NCAA championships.
Incredibly, Kucera achieved her long list of accomplishments despite a career beset by injury and illness. She even sat out the entire 2009-10 season, only to come back strong enough to win Mid-Major All-America honors.
Kucera’s athleticism allowed her to contribute as a reserve attacker for the Aggie women’s water polo team while her meticulous work ethic in the classroom resulted in all-academic awards in both sports. Her academic prowess continues to serve her well today, as she completes her Ph.D in pharmacology and toxicology, with a focus on steroid metabolism. Kucera expects to graduate this December.
As for rodeo? Both during and after her Aggie aquatics career, Kucera continued to excel in her specialties of barrel racing and team roping.
