Redshirt freshman Catherine Simko has a passion for two things: water polo and the FBI.
Simko is an ASU water polo walk-on double majoring in psychology and linguistics and is already going after her dream of becoming an FBI agent.
Simko said, "there’s something about criminology and how it goes hand in hand with the things you learn in the psychology classes."
"It’s so interesting to find out how people work and what makes us different from the common criminal and how quick it is for a person to turn into someone like that," she said.
She said she became interested in psychology the moment she took a course on the subject in high school. After graduating from Capistrano Valley High School in Mission Viejo, California, she made her way east to Tempe where she would begin a journey not only athletically, but academically as well.
She originally dreamed about doing forensic medicine, but once she combined psychology with her love of criminology, she knew she found the right fit.
In her first semester at ASU, Simko was introduced to the idea of working for the FBI, and it intrigued her.
“I thought to myself: ‘Yeah maybe I could do this FBI thing,'” Simko said, “I spoke with our administrator ... and she got me set up with an agent."
At the meeting, the agent told her about an internship that would lead her toward her ultimate goal.
“The more they talk about it, the more I want to do it,” Simko said.
Simko is now in her second year at ASU and has already made progress toward her dream job. She’s taken multiple tests to prepare for an internship, including a security clearance interview and a polygraph test, which Simko recalled being “a really weird experience and super uncomfortable.”
In her second year she added an additional major, linguistics and was surprised at the difficulty. Simko said the major is stressful but that she has people helping her succeed.
“I find that my academic coach has been super helpful, and I don't have to take as many credits as I thought I would,” Simko said.
#ForksUp pic.twitter.com/VlnXtTBSmB
— ASU Water Polo (@ASUWaterPolo) March 5, 2017
In fall 2016, Simko began her redshirt freshman season with Sun Devil water polo. Being a walk-on in her first year, she had no idea the role she would play for ASU because those on scholarship have better chances at getting playing time.
While head coach Todd Clapper knew she would be getting some minutes this year, he said he had no idea the impact she would have on the team.
“We had a freshman who decided not to play who was going to be our second 2-meter defender, and we found that out in October,” Clapper said.
The staff realized they needed to find someone to fill that crucial roll, and Simko was ready to take advantage of the opportunity.
“She’s not only learning how to play, but she's guarding, a lot of the times, the best player on the other team and controlling the defense,” Clapper said.
“The last couple of weeks," he said, "she's really started to settle into it and on the defensive end doing a great job for us."
Her teammates have noticed it as well. From where they first saw Simko play a year ago to now, she has made massive improvements — especially playing at a new position.
“Starting from scratch basically at that position, I think she’s doing really good,” junior teammate Lena Mihailovic said, “She has a lot to learn, but she's really determined.”
Junior Alkistis Benekou echoed Mihailovic’s comment, emphasizing their teammate’s willingness to improve.
“She's working really hard and she's willing to learn,” Benekou said. “I think that's the most important thing.”
Simko could never have imagined the way this season would turn out. She has most recently made an immediate impact in the Wolverine Invitational where she helped lead the Sun Devils to a 11-0 victory over Bucknell. Clapper noted that he’s seen her become more relaxed in her new role.
“I think we’re starting to get out of the woods a bit where now she's starting to get a foundation,” Clapper said. “She's not as panicked, she's starting to learn and see situations.
Fifth-ranked Sun Devils in the house, in Ann Arbor, for today's games against Pacific and Michigan! #ForksUp pic.twitter.com/HXtWPWlOyN
— ASU Water Polo (@ASUWaterPolo) March 4, 2017
“The next three years are going to be fantastic for her.”
Whether it's in the classroom studying to become the next FBI agent or working hard to become one of the most dominant attackers in the pool, Simko said she has had the support of everyone around her.
Simko and the Sun Devils will head to Bakersfield, California this weekend where they will take on CSU Bakersfield, Princeton and Cal State East Bay in the CSU Bakersfield Roadrunner Invitational.
Reach the reporter at klbroder@asu.edu or follow @KellyB1459 on Twitter.
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