SPORTS STORIES:
SPORTS INFORMATION—2009
swimming's sanborn ready to be inducted into hall of fame...
CLEVELAND, OH (April 16, 2009) - Alumnus Sharon Sanborn’s first impression of Case Western Reserve University back in 1995 was one of darkness, but her departure in 1998 was as bright as it could get for a Spartan student-athlete.
“I flew into Cleveland with my dad at night,” Sanborn remembered. “We couldn’t find the school and I was a little nervous. The next morning we found it and I thought it was beautiful. Coming from Arizona where everything is dry and brown, it was nice to see green.”
Sanborn soon saw blue and after the waves had settled on a fabulous four-year swimming career, she received two of the National Collegiate Athletic Association’s (NCAA) ultimate female awards – the NCAA Women of the Year and the GTE Academic All-American of the Year.
“When I heard that I had been named [NCAA WOY] I was just amazed. I was proud and honored that they picked me,” Sanborn said.
The four-year letter winner was a three-time All-American and upon graduating in 1998 she had broken six school swimming records. Her fondest moment in the pool was at the 1997 NCAA Division III Championships when she finished the 100-yard butterfly in 58.18, which is still a school record.
“That was probably the best I had ever felt in a race – it felt right,” Sanborn explained. “When I hit the wall and saw my time and my coach [Todd Clark, 1989-2003], it was just a real memorable moment for me. After all the hard work – that was probably my best race ever.”
Sanborn was also a three-time GTE Academic All-American and an NCAA Postgraduate Scholarship recipient. She graduated summa cum laude [4.0 GPA] and was accepted to Case Western Reserve University’s School of Medicine.
“I was so busy that I had to manage my time well,” Sanborn explained. “I didn’t have a lot of time to mess around or slack off, so I had a regimen and was very scheduled. I had hours blocked out for school, swimming, homework and sleep.”
Rest is something she would not get very much of during the next 10 years. Sanborn received her MD in 2002 and returned home to Arizona for her residency in internal medicine at the University of Arizona [2002-2005]. She then traveled back to Cleveland for a fellowship in hematology-oncology at Case Western Reserve and University Hospitals [2005-2008].
“It has always been between Cleveland and Arizona,” Sanborn explained. “I always wanted to be in a place I felt comfortable. My residency was probably the hardest thing that I ever had to go through. Having family and friends around really got me through it. I knew fellowship training would be the same, so I wanted go to a place where I had friends or family.”
Sanborn is currently an assistant professor/clinician in the Cancer Care Center at MetroHealth Medical Center on the west side of Cleveland. She probably would have returned home to Arizona, but Sanborn met her fiancé [Kyle] at Metro. Ironically enough it wasn’t the first time.
“We actually met at freshman camp at Case Western Reserve,” Sanborn explained. “We have known each other since we were 18, but we didn’t start to date each other until we were 30. When I returned for my fellowship four years ago we ran into each other and he invited me out for a burger.”
Kyle, whose last name is Wagamon, also received his undergraduate degree and MD from Case Western Reserve and was a member of the Spartan varsity golf team. The two will get married in September at Patterson Fruit Farm in nearby Chesterland. The farm was previously Orchard Hills Golf Course, the former home of the Spartan golf team.
“It all comes around full-circle,” Sanborn laughed.
Speaking of that, Sanborn returns to campus next Friday [April 24] night for the Case Reserve Athletic Club Hall of Fame Dinner, which will be held in Horsburgh Gym at the Veale Center. Click here for more information. So what will be going through the doctor’s mind when she is inducted?
“It will be pretty overwhelming,” Sanborn said. “I was actually working on my speech this past weekend. It was amazing to think about all the people who helped me get to this point. The real award for me will be to look out and see all of their faces in the crowd.”
WANT MORE HALL OF FAME COVERAGE ... Click here to read a story written [Jan. 28] on Nancy Gray, who will also be inducted next Friday into the Case Reserve Athletic Club Hall of Fame. Gray was a longtimie coach, teacher and administrator at Case Western Reserve from 1968-2000.
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