COLLEGE STATION, Texas 7 For Penn State freshman Megan Palera, college life does not get much better than this.

The Righetti graduate has made many new friends.

She has a 4.0 grade point average.

She qualified for three open events and swam on a history-making relay team in the NCAA Championships.

College life "was really hard the first semester," Palera said by phone from Texas A&M University Friday night after swimming in the 400 meter freestyle and anchoring Nittany Lions/ 800 free relay team.

Palera said her teammates helped her get through the difficult early time. "I/ve made a lot of friends on the swim team," she said. "It/s been awesome."

Palera helped the 800 relay squad to a landmark achievement.

"We finished in 13th place and scored eight points," said Palera. "That/s the first time in school history a (women/s) relay team has scored points in the NCAA meet."

Palera swam in the 1,500 Saturday night. She wound up 20th in 16:26.17. Freshman Kaylyn Keller of USC won in 15:49.14, a new United States short course record. Palera/s teammate, freshman Margey Keefe, finished 12th.

Earlier in the meet, Palera swam a 4:47.80 in the 400 IM and a 4:12.30 in the 400 free relay.

She did not place in either event, but from a personal standpoint her times were fast.

"The 400 free time was my personal best," she said. "In the 400 IM, I was two seconds off the personal best time I set in the Big 10 meet. I/m happy with the way the NCAAs went."

Palera/s effort in the 800 relay helped the Penn State women to their highest point total ever in the NCAA Championships. They finished 15th with 101 points. Auburn won the championship.

Penn State/s best placing in the women/s meet was in 2001. The Nittany Lions finished 11th then.

After the NCAA meet, Palera was set to go back to work at the Texas A&M pool.

"They/re having time trials (Sunday) for those trying to cut their time down to make the Olympic Trials," Palera said Friday night. "Right now, I/m two seconds off in the 400 IM."

Palera has had a standout career for the Santa Maria Swim Club. She dominated most of her age group races in the bigger local summer meets, and she has qualified for the elite Senior Nationals meet several times.

She plans to compete at the Senior Nationals again in August.

Having been exposed to a lot of big meets beforehand, Palera said competing at the college level hasn/t fazed her.

"It/s just a lot of work," she said. "Sometimes you/re swimming two or three meets in a week. You just have to be ready."

Palera was obviously ready for college work, judging by her grade point average. She is majoring in journalism. "I hope to go into broadcasting," she said.

Besides Penn State, Columbia and Notre Dame were also interested in Palera. When she chose Penn State, Palera said her opinion of the Nittany Lions/ coaching staff helped sway her toward the State College, Pa. school.

Her feeling regarding the coaching staff has been reinforced once she has actually started swimming for them.

"Bill Dorenkott is a great coach," she said. "The whole coaching staff here has really helped me a lot. They/ve been awesome."

Palera was able to experience a lot of awesome winter weather 7 that was because she was able to escape State College for a good part of the winter.

During the winter break, the Nittany Lions "worked out in Florida for a month," Palera said.

Palera describes State College as "a nice college town. It/s kind of quaint."

When the students leave during breaks in the school year, the city "gets pretty quiet," Palera added with a chuckle.

"It/s really easy to get around in. It/s like one big square." Palera has made her way through her college races quickly as well this year.

March 25, 2004