Two Chesterton girls swimmers commit: Tegan Werner goes east to Tufts University and Adalyn Laughner heads south to Purdue

Patrick Mochen
Onwardtrojans.com

Senior Tegan Werner has chosen to continue swimming at Tufts University in Medford, Mass. after she graduates from Chesterton High School. Junior Adalyn Laughner committed to swim at Purdue University.
The two have had lots of success at the state meet in previous seasons. All four swimmers who placed fourth at state in both the 400-yard freestyle relay and the 200 medley relay are back this season. Sophomore Brenley Bonez and senior Peyton Ostertag joined Werner and Laughner on the relays.
Laughner also placed eighth in both the 100 free and 100 backstroke. Werner earned two points for the Trojans with a 15th-place finish in the 50 free. Last year, the team needed someone for the 100 butterfly, which was back-to-back with Werner’s main event, the 100 free, and she stepped up and swam the fly.
Werner went on a visit to Tufts before committing to the school.
“I really liked the size of it, about 8,000 students, which I feel is a good size, not too small, not too big,” Werner said. “I had a really good experience with the coach and the team, and I also liked that the campus was right outside the city but still felt like a campus.”
Werner is still undecided on her major but is going to apply to the school of Arts and Sciences.
The university is right outside of Boston, which Werner toured.
“I enjoyed all the matcha stores,” she said. “My mom and I went on a historical building tour and I enjoyed the architecture.”
Werner has plenty to be fired up for this season, her last before swimming at Tufts.
“We have some freshmen that swim the butterfly, so I can go back in my main event, so I'm excited for that and also I think our relay teams will be really strong and we have a strong freshman class.”
Laughner shared Werner's excitement.
“Tegan’s a really hard worker. She’s definitely one of the swimmers I try to race at practice a lot,” Laughner said. “She’s a super nice, super good teammate. I hope she does really well at college. I'm excited for her.”
Laughner chose Purdue University, a place closer to home and familiar to her.
“A lot of my family goes to Purdue, so I know the campus pretty well,” Laughner said.
Laughner went on a visit to Purdue, this time seeing more of the athlete’s perspective of the campus.
“I got to watch their practice,” she said. “I definitely liked the team culture they have there. I like how the campus feels like home to me, and they have good academics.”
Laughner received an athletic 50% scholarship from Purdue. Although she has already committed, her plans aren’t completely decided yet. She hasn't decided on what major to choose, although she is considering animal science. She is also so versatile it isn’t certain what event she will swim in college. Her best guess is that she will swim the backstroke.