Dedicated, hardworking, and smart are words used to describe Megan Venegas. Only in her first year, she capped off her rookie season helping the women of SAC to their first state championship win in program history at the 2025 3C2A Swim State Championships.  

Swimming has been part of Venegas’ life since childhood. She started swimming at the age of 5 because her father wanted her and her sister to learn water safety.

However, Venegas was inspired by her big sister to take on the sport after seeing her compete in high school water polo and swimming. Venegas began her career in a summer league as a child and then competed in club swimming and swam for her high school varsity team.

 Subsequently, years of swimming competitively, Venegas lost her passion for the sport after high school.

“It was kind of unexpected that I was going to compete this season, because after graduating high school, I didn’t really like the sport, and I didn’t want to swim anymore. But when I met Coach Lani, she persuaded me to join,” Venegas said. 

Venegas’ long relationship with swimming had its ups and downs, and she faced many challenges throughout her career. Maintaining confidence is something a lot of athletes struggle with, and Venegas was one of those athletes.

“Especially in a sport like swimming, where it’s timed and it’s so easy to compare yourself to others …  so going into college, I focused on my times and how I can improve from my race rather than looking at my overall time,” she said.

She was not alone though.  Head coach Chris Jackson knows that athletes deal with confidence issues.

His message to athletes?  “Get out of their own head.”

When talking about the coaches and how they helped her, Venegas said, “What you put in determines what you get out, and the coaches set the environment where they will push you.”

Venegas’ head coach had nothing but positive things to say about her work ethic and dedication. 

“I can’t think of a time when she missed practice,” Jackson said. “I can’t think of a time where she wasn’t at the weight room session.”

There is a lot of preparation that an athlete can do before games or meets to help them perform and succeed when it’s time. Only putting in the work at practice and doing nothing outside will not get an athlete as far as they can be. It is the work that is done behind closed doors and the habits that are created that helps, and Venegas knows just that.

“During the offseason, I was already going to the gym,” Venegas said. “So, I was establishing my eating habits and prioritizing good sleep.”

All of that preparation played a huge key, and it did not go unnoticed. Jackson explained how Venegas’ 1650 time dropped all season, and how she was also consistent in her 500- and 200-yard events throughout the season.

Recovery is huge and very important for an athlete, because seasons are long and athletes won’t succeed if they don’t utilize recovery. As a long-distance swimmer, it takes a toll on the body, but Venegas adjusts by tapering on training and utilizing resources such as cupping to help recover.

Venegas understands that in order to compete on the team, she has to replicate her work ethic in the classroom. Balancing school with a sport can be tough, but she adapts to that by getting her work done early during meet weeks.

Looking back on her season, Venegas recalled her 500m final at state her “favorite race,” because after finishing dead last in her prelim, she came back the next day looking to “just compete” and that is exactly what she did. According to the 3C2A, Venegas improved significantly by cutting five seconds from her preliminary time to her final and moving up three spots.

Venegas plans to replicate her success next season, aiming to come back next spring to accomplish more and swim even faster.