William Paterson University Athletics

2017 William Paterson graduate Vera Blazevska transitioned from an illustrious four-year career as a swimmer to her first year as an assistant coach for the William Paterson men’s and women’s swimming teams during the 2017-18 campaign.  She is now in her fourth season as an assistant coach for the 2020-21 campaign. 

Blazevska, a member of the 2016-17 College Swimming Coaches Association of America (CSCAA) Scholar All-America Team Honorable Mention, was named the recipient of William Paterson's Roland Watts Memorial Award in April, given to a student-athlete who has demonstrated outstanding dedication and effort in his or her sport. The 2017 New Jersey Athletic Conference (NJAC) Women's Swimmer of the Year, she broke her own WP records in both the 400 IM (4:42.09) and 200 breast (2:21.89) while competing at the 2017 Metropolitan Championships. She also garnered the Metropolitan Collegiate Swimming and Diving Conference's Dick Krempecki Outstanding Senior Award, given annually to an individual who has contributed the most to the Metropolitan Conference and the sport of swimming.
 
Blazevska also holds school records in the 50 breast (30.70, 2/21/15), 100 breast (1:06.07, 2/21/15), 100 IM (1:03.05, 2/13/16) and 200 IM (2:15.37, 12/5/15). The 2014 NJAC Co-Rookie of the Year and 2016 NJAC Co-Women's Swimmer of the Year, she was a first-team all-conference selection in the 100 breast (2016), 200 breast (2014, 2015, 2016, 2017) and 400 IM (2015, 2016), and a second-team all-league honoree in the 100 breast (2015, 2017) and 400 IM (2017).
 
Selected to the 2016-17 College Sports Information Directors of America (CoSIDA) Academic All-District 2 Women's At-Large First Team, Blazevska was inducted into Chi Alpha Sigma, the national student-athlete honor society, and has been a Dean's List student every semester at WP. She was selected to the 2014-15 and 2015-16 Metropolitan Conference All-Academic Teams and Academic All-NJAC Honorable Mentions, and graduated magna cum laude in May with a bachelor's degree in communication disorders. Additionally, Blazevska has helped WP earn the CSCAA Scholar All-America team award each of the last eight semesters.

Vera completed her M.S. in communication disorders and sciences through the William Paterson Department of Communication Disorders and Sciences in 2019.