Blair Cross, 17, has been swimming for more than a decade. She has been an All-American for the past two years. She holds state and national records and has won academic and service awards.

The Ravenscroft School senior's latest accomplishment came last month when she signed a letter of intent to swim for the University of Maryland Terrapins.

"The school offers so many opportunities to succeed," Cross said.

She plans to study communications and advertising.

Cross is also part of small, but growing contingent of minority swimmers and hopes to be a role model to encourage diversity in the sport.

She was one of just 50 swimmers chosen to attend the 2006 USA Swimming Diversity Camp at the Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs, Co.

"This was a great camp. It taught us how to be ambassadors for the sport," she said.

Cross admits that it is hard for girls to sustain interest in swimming as their bodies change when they enter their teen years.

"We develop a swimmer's body, with big shoulders," she said. "Sometimes it is hard to fit into clothes."

But what she has gained is more important.

"Swimming has made me so independent and has given me so much self-confidence," she said.