The following is a spotlight on Barbara Schaal, one of two George Washington University nominees for the ​prestigious NCAA Woman of the Year award. The Atlantic 10 institutions nominated a total of 17 outstanding ​student-athletes for the award (READ MORE). The A-10 will spotlight each of the institutional nominees.

Barbara Schaal Profile

  • Sport: Swimming & ​Diving
  • Hometown: ​Gelnhausen, ​Germany
  • Major: Psychological ​& Brain Sciences


GW BIO


Barbara Schaal is a record-setting swimmer for George

Washington, having been a part of three GW and A-10

record relays each set at '24 A-10 Championships,

the 200-yard freestyle relay, the 200-yard medley relay

and 400-yard medley relay. The Germany native holds

the GW 100-yard backstroke record (:53.14) set in fall

2023 and has won 17 medals in total at A-10 conference

championships throughout three seasons to help win

three-straight team titles in 2022-24. Schaal won the

Atlantic 10 title in the 2023 100 butterfly, 200-yard

free relay and 2024 200-yard freestyle relay,

200-yard medley relay, and 400-yard medley

relay, setting new program records in 100

backstroke and 100 fly. She was A-10

All-Conference in each of her three years.

Internationally, Schaal has placed in the U23

German National Championships in 200-back,

100-fly, and 100-back and the 4x100 mixed

medley relay in 2022, as well as in the same

events in the European Junior Championships

in 2018.

In the classroom, Schaal made Dean’s List five-straight times from Spring,

2022 to Spring, 2024, was a two-time CSC Academic All-District and a

two-time College Swimming & Diving Coaches Association of America Scholar All-American. The ​psychology and brain sciences major has a passion for neuroscience, helping shape her career goal to ​make a significant contribution to thresearch and treatment of neurological diseases.


Schaal was a former captain of the German Junior National Team which led to her becoming the informal ​leader of the GW Swim & Dive Team, leading the team to three-straight consecutive A-10 titles. She was ​nominated by her coach as one of the leaders on team to participate in monthly seminars with other ​selected athletes at the Leadership Academy, Athletics Department (LEAPP).

Q & A

If You Could Know the Absolute and Total Truth to One Question, ​What Question Would You Ask?

When is the perfect moment to stop balancing my goggles with ​textbooks, especially when my athletic potential feels like it’s still on the ​bench waiting for its turn to shine?


What was the hardest obstacle you faced as a student-athlete?

Transferring to the USA as an international mid-year transfer from ​Germany just before the conference championships I had to adapt in the ​shortest period of time to a new country, language, training, and study ​environment, while integrating into an already well-established team.


What is one thing you would go back and do differently if you could?

Not to transfer midterm.


If someone wrote a biography about you, what would the title be?

(Back-)Stroke of Fortune: How Competitive Swimming Opened the ​World for me.


What hard goals have you set and/or accomplish?

With respect to sports, I broke the school record in 100 backstroke after ​a career-threatening injury against all odds. Academically, I’m eager to ​pursue a PhD in the field of Neuroscience.


What’s the best piece of advice you have ever received? The worst?

The best advice I’ve ever received: “Keep the PMA (positive mental ​attitude) and control the controllables!” This approach helps me stay ​focused and resilient, even when things don’t go as planned. On the ​other hand, the worst advice I’ve received: “You need to be perfect to ​succeed.” From my experiences, trying to be perfect often creates ​unnecessary stress and anxiety. I’ve found that it’s more effective to aim ​for continuous progress, laugh at the mess-ups, and learn from them ​along the way.


What Was your favorite class/professor and why?

My long-term goal is to dive into research in Neuroscience. I probably ​wouldn’t be here if Dr. Shomstein’s Cognitive Neuroscience class hadn’t ​sparked my interest. I started with general psychology in Germany, but ​it was through Neuroscience and Biology classes and chats with Prof. ​Shomstein that I fell in love with how the brain works. Her classes ​showed me that I’m more excited about understanding brain function ​than about counseling patients.


What do you think is the most important issue for student-athletes ​today?

Finding the right balance between training, studying, and spending time ​with friends. Additionally, they need to be resilient, as life often throws ​unexpected challenges their way. Whether it's a surprise exam or an ​unexpected injury, staying on top of things and keeping a sense of ​humor is key to surviving and thriving.