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John L. Braese
CLEVELAND, MISSISSIPPI – Former Burns graduate Reagan Fulton made a couple tough decisions this past year. She left her former team, packed up her belongings and signed on to dive for a new school. Fulton also did not return to Burns this summer, staying in in her new town to lead a contingent of personnel at a country club and pick up summer college courses.
Did it all work out for the former Hilander? Consider she qualified for nationals. Her name is in the record books for her new school. She was named to the 2023 CSCAA Individual Scholar All-Americans list. She is rubbing shoulders with the country club crowd over the summer and now has plans to continue her education towards a master’s degree. Not bad for a diver coming from a town with a summer only municipal pool equipped with a diving board 30-plus years old.
“It has been quite a year,” said Fulton.
Fulton started her year with a drive to a new school and team, transferring from Grand Canyon University in Phoenix, Arizona to Delta State University in Cleveland, Mississippi. The new pool teamed Fulton with a coach very familiar to her.
“Delta’s coach recruited me while I was still in high school”, said Fulton. “It was the right move to make.”
The new surroundings proved to be the right move at the right time. Fulton started winning dive events and set the school record in the three-meter 11-dive event. She also qualified and attended nationals and recently found her name on the 2023 CSCAA Individual Scholar All-Americans list.
“I still have three school records to break,” she said. “Delta University is an older school in a smaller town and reminds me a lot of Burns. They have a fantastic pool and offered a substantial scholarship which allows me to continue schooling. The classes are smaller at Delta and a better learning environment for me.”
As any transfer student is well aware, changing schools typically ends with some credits not making the process. To catch up, Fulton stayed in Cleveland, working the summer and taking courses to make up credits.
“I accepted a position at a country club as an aquatic supervisor,” she explained. “I am learning personnel and supervisory skills with the position. It is shocking even to me, but I really like the South.”
The new surroundings have excited Fulton to look at continuing her education beyond a bachelor’s and work towards a master’s degree in psychology.
“I am looking at a school counsellor, sports psychology or child psychology,” said Fulton.
An advanced degree is in the future, but a shorter-term goal is approaching with the upcoming school year.
“I want to return to nationals,” Fulton said.
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