The University of Texas at Austin Athletics
A-to-Z on Elaine Ferritto
02.24.2007 | Women's Swimming and Diving
UT senior swimmer Elaine Ferritto took some time out of the pool to talk with fellow senior swimmer Stephanie Anderson about food, movies and her ideal vacation spots, among other things. Anderson reports that there is much more to Elaine than cranking out laps at the Lee and Joe Jamail Texas Swimming Center.
A is for All-Around
Elaine earned her first All-America honors last year as a member of the Longhorns' 800-yard freestyle relay at the NCAA Championships, even when her cap came off in the middle of the race. She has received All-Big 12 honors on six occasions and has been named to the Big 12 Commissioner's Honor Roll.
B is for Backstroke and IM
Since coming to Austin, Elaine has been part of a standout group of UT backstroke swimmers. But admittedly, rather than the 200 backstroke, she would prefer to swim the 200 individual medley, an event she won at the 2006 Big 12 Championships and in which she has qualified for participation at the NCAA Championships next month.
C is for Cello
Elaine's talents aren't limited to the pool; she's been playing the cello since the fourth grade. She was second chair of the UT University Orchestra from 2004-2006. The best part for Elaine was realizing that she still enjoyed playing and didn't have to give it up after becoming a UT student-athlete.
D is for Dodge Ram
According to Elaine, the best part about driving the Dodge Ram she got in high school is that she doesn't have to worry about speed bumps, curbs, or steep driveways when she's driving around Austin.
E is for Eclectic
Whether it's music, food or movies, eclectic is the best word to describe Elaine's taste. And, her talents in academics, music and aquatics fill out her eclectic taste and abilities.
F is for "Ferritto Face"
It's the name that teammates have jokingly given the expression that usually appears on Elaine's face during the last 50 yards of a race. It isn't her favorite thing that her teammates admire about her, but it lets them know she's doing her best.
G is for Guacamole
Whether Elaine is making it in the kitchen or eating it at Cantina Laredo, guacamole is one of her favorite foods.
H is for Hard Day's Night
When it comes to music, old school is the way to go for Elaine. From "A Hard Day's Night" to "Yesterday," The Beatles is her favorite band. Her favorite songs are "Hey Jude" and "Lady Madonna."
I is for I can't live without....
Friends...her friends are the closest form of family she has in Austin. Growing up without siblings, Elaine appreciates the friends she has, saying that they make life better, and that without them she would just, "be by myself...a lot."
J is for Jeans
It could be said that Elaine is a denim aficionado. She has over twenty pairs in her closet...her favorites are her "skinny jeans," her Unions.
K is for Ketchup
"I could literally put ketchup on everything. It must be a Midwestern thing." Enough said.
L is for Leader
Elaine has been a team captain for the last three years and has served as a co-captain with seniors Leah Avilla and Katie Robinson this season. Getting to work with two of her best friends while leading the team has made 2007 her favorite year as captain.
M is for Memento
"Memento" is one of Elaine's favorite movies for two reasons: the way the film is shot and the progression of the movie, but more importantly, she says the best part is the film's star, Guy Pearce.
N is for Nickname
Dubbed "Laney Boggs" by fellow senior Elizabeth Tinnon during her sophomore year after a character in the movie "She's All That." Not even Elaine knows how the nickname really got started but it has stuck and taken on variations from "Boggs" to "Laney" and everything in between.
O is for Ohio
Ohio -- Columbus, to be more specific -- is Home Sweet Home for Elaine. But, you can bet that when Ohio State plays Texas in football or anything else, she isn't rooting for the Buckeyes. She even traveled to Columbus in 2005 to watch the Horns beat the Buckeyes en route to their eventual Rose Bowl win.
P is for Puzzles
During swim meets, most student-athletes spend their time between sessions napping or relaxing in front of the TV, but not Elaine. She winds down by doing jigsaw puzzles, usually finishing two or three during a championship meet, with some help from her teammates.
Q is for Quite
A Lot Elaine and roommate Stephanie Anderson have the most impressive number of movies on the team with a collection of over three hundred between the two of them.
R is for Radio, Television and Film
Maybe it helps explain the movie collection, but Elaine is a radio-television-film major specializing in production.
S is for South Congress
According to Elaine, when it comes to shopping, the best place for shopping in Austin is South Congress Avenue. The boutique-filled street offers everything from clothes and jewelry to furniture and housewares, but the stores she usually hits are Uncommon Objects, Goody Two Shoes and Antigua.
T is for Tex-Mex
Whether it's Trudy's or Chuy's, Hula Hut or Guero's, Elaine's favorite restaurants are the places where chips and salsa are free and ready on the table. Her suggested dish? The stuffed avocado from Trudy's with the caliente salsa.
U is for Upper Arlington
During her high school days at Upper Arlington High School, Elaine and her teammates set the national high school record in the 200-yard medley relay. Unfortunately, the record was broken shortly after she joined the Longhorns.
V is for video camera
Elaine takes her video camera everywhere, especially to big meets where she films her team's races and puts together mini-documentaries with interviews and candid moments with the team.
W is for Where in the World?
India, Italy, Brazil, Japan, and Australia, are Elaine's top five choices on where she would want to travel on vacation if she was given the chance.
X is for Xmas (Christmas) and Xmas Training
Christmas is her favorite holiday, mainly because she gets to spend time with all of her family. As for any swimmer, the next thing associated with Christmas is Christmas training. This year, Elaine and the Longhorns traveled to Florida for a training trip.
Y is for Yard Sale
While South Congress is her favorite shopping spot, Elaine can't pass up a yard sale either. Why? "You can get good stuff sometimes, and it's really cheap," she says.
Z is for Zzzzzz's
From naps to sleeping in on Sunday afternoons, which are usually the only time she doesn't have an early morning practice or class, Elaine loves the time she gets to sleep.