Slippery Rock senior Tessa Szymanski, seen here competing in a triathlon, has committed to being a triathlete at Trine University in Indiana. Submitted Photo

It seemed only a matter of time before Tessa Szymanski found her way to competing in triathlons.

The resident of Prospect and senior at Slippery Rock Area High School is a middle-distance veteran of the Rockets’ swimming and track teams, and four-year member of the cross country team, helping the former to a current undefeated record this winter.

“I actually enjoy practicing and just being with my friends more than I do the competitions,” she said.

Szymanski competed in her first triathlon two summers ago for the team at Get Fit Families. That competition took place at Bradys Run Park in Beaver County.

“I was already used to the swimming and running, and I just had to pick up the biking,” Szymanski said. “I did pretty well that first competition and liked it from the start.”

Less than two years later, she is looking forward to four more years of triathlons at the collegiate level, recently making a verbal commitment to attend and compete at Trine University, a Division III school in Angola, Ind.

“I Googled to find out how many colleges have a triathlon team,” she said. “There’s not many, about 40 in the whole country. Trine is one of them.

“I went out and toured the campus in July, loved the small-town feel. It felt a lot like Slippery Rock. I want to be a physical therapist, and they have a strong program for that.”

Competing in triathlons may seem off the grid for most prospective college athletes, but it seems to be the perfect fit for Szymanski.

“I’m an only child and am used to being independent,” she said. “I like doing my own thing.”

Szymanski’s triathlon experience, which includes five competitions, was stunted due to an injured right foot. Now healthy, she is looking forward to realizing her potential. Szymanski gets most of her training done at Slippery Rock University’s Aebersold Recreation Center, where she is a lifeguard.

“I lost all of last summer with the injury, but I think I’m only going to get better from here,” she said.

Joella Baker, founder of Get Fit Families and a coach within the organization, sees traits in Szymanski that can pave the way to success.

“She’s a really good swimmer and runner, just needs to work on her biking,” Baker said. “But you have to be super-tough to be a triathlete, and Tessa has that mentality.

“Something always seems to go wrong in a triathlon ... something mechanical with the bike, getting your goggles knocked off by getting kicked in the head during the swim ... you have to be able to overcome obstacles. Tessa has done well in her competitions so far.”