UWF Athletics Hall of Fame
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Peggy de Villiers was a member of the women's swimming and diving team from 2013 to 2016. The Somerset West, South Africa native was one of the best short distance swimmers in UWF swim program history.
De Villiers built an impressive list of accolades during her time at UWF. She was a CSCAA First Team All-American, honorable mention and Scholar All-American. De Villiers is No. 2 in program history with 15 CSCAA All-American honors. She is No. 5 in team history in NSISC individual titles (5), a three-time All-NSISC selection and the 2016 NSISC Champion Swimmer of the Year.
De Villiers holds top-five program records in the 50y, 100y and 200y freestyle and the 100y fly.
What was your most memorable moment at UWF?
My most memorable moment at UWF was swimming the NCAA qualifying time during our 200 free relay at conference. It was our very first year as a program, and I'll never forget opening that relay, our anchor touching the wall, and seeing the time flash on the board. We had officially sealed our ticket to NCAA's. There's a video of it somewhere, we're all screaming, jumping up and down, just pure joy. That moment wasn't just about the swim; it was about proving ourselves and making history.
Being a former student-athlete, how has it helped you in your life after college?
Being a student-athlete taught me discipline and grit that I carry with me every single day. Balancing 20+ hours of training, a full course load, and at times even a job, forced me to develop time management, resilience, and focus. At the time, it felt like a grind: miles in the pool, long nights studying, but those habits paid dividends later on. That gave me the confidence to pursue big goals, push through challenges, and build a career and life with the same determination that was instilled in me here at UWF.
Today, de Villiers works as an HR Director in government contracting and is married to Shane Taylor Kerber whom she met in her final year at UWF. De Villiers still roots on the Argos from afar and stays involved in swimming with local programs and races when opportunities come up.
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