The Next Laura Wilkinson?
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Junior diving superstar Alexandra Ashcraft is not just a superstar in the pool. Lexi, as she is fondly called, is also an academic standout. She carries a 4.0 GPA even with a challenging transcript that includes AP Chemistry and Honors Spanish. “I like to work hard because it gives me a sense of pride,” Lexi said.
Lexi says this strong academic performance gives her confidence in her athletic life. She is able to spend hours and hours in the pool each week and still keep up her grades. “I travel one hour to Fordham University in the Bronx. We have a two-hour practice then it is back in the car for an hour drive home,” Lexi said.
Lexi's Top 5 Prized Possessions:
- My Car! (my dad's old Mercedes - YAY)
- Graphing Calculator
- MacBook
- Phone
- Debit Card - to buy food
Her teammates aren’t surprised Lexi is able to keep so many elements in place. “She just performs.” sophomore teammate Brynn Gasparino said. Top performance is part of the equation for both Lexi and her freshmen sister, Caroline.
“It’s really different traveling, diving, and competing with Caroline. There definitely is a sense of competition between us, but I normally win. We also train so hard because if you do you will do well.” Lexi said laughing softly.
All the work pays off and her rankings are proof. Once ranking third at nationals, and attending every year, she almost always places high. She also placed third in summer regional’s class 1; fifth at the high school State Opens and got an All American award at Nationals. “My goal is to get All American again,” she said.
Participation is about 10 meets each year has made her true veteran of the sport. In particular, she is known for her killer double twist dive.
“You just have to zone out and know your prep plan before you dive. You have to keep trying and never give up,” she said.
As one can see, Lexi has her bar set high for herself and that’s the way she likes it. “I just try to zone out and set goals for myself, also I try to keep the same prep plan for each dive, if it works, then I will do really well.”
No Olympics in her near future, but she does idolize diving Olympian Laura Wilkinson. Laura is a world-renowned diver who defied all odds and got first at the 2000 Olympic Games with a broken foot. Her goals are set high and her dreams have been reached.
Lexi is a true diver. And one of the most successful high school divers DHS has ever seen.
