Drury University Athletics

Nida Zuhal came to Drury from Veenendaal, Holland and is being inducted in her first year of eligibility. Nida, who graduated just five years ago (May 11, 1997) with a double major (Communication/German) is, without doubt, one of the best swimmers ever to compete for Drury. A Drury team M.V.P. all four years (1994-97), Nida was the NAIA national swimming/diving championship's M.V.P. in 1994 and was twice the NCAA-II national swimming/diving championship's M.V.P. (1996 and 1997). She was the 1997 NCAA-II swimmer of the year as she led the Panthers to their first-ever NCAA-II national title, highlighted by her national record-setting time of 2:01.27 in the 200-yard butterfly. She competed in the 1996 Olympic games for her native country of Turkey and was a two-time Honda Award nominee in the NCAA-II in the sport of swimming. An Academic All-American, Nida was also a nominee for the NCAA Women of the Year Award in 1997 and the NCAA Today's Top VIII Award. She graduated from Drury with a 3.159 grade point average.