Two years ago, when swim team coach Bob Thompson heard that his program would be receiving a junior transfer student from Florida State, he was less than enthralled.
"I've coached here for 21 years and she was our first transfer ever," he said. "We have tremendous team unity and a very stable program. Kids start when they are freshmen and stick together until senior year. Honestly, I wasn't all that excited about it."
But somewhere around the time Amy Armond took home three top-eight ACC finishes last spring, Thompson changed his mind.
For the non-scholarship Blue Devils, the ACC Championships is often a time to sit back and watch other schools in the high-powered conference compete in the event finals. But last year, Armond not only gave the Blue Devils something to cheer for, she became the first Duke woman to record an NCAA qualifying time since 1981.
And as she swam in the finals, her former Florida State teammates were cheering just as loudly.
Armond, originally from Snellsville, Ga., chose Florida State because of a large academic scholarship and its top-flight music program. After two years there, however, she decided to transfer to Duke for a greater academic challenge.
"I liked Florida State, but I felt it was time to move on," she said.
Moving on also meant that she would switch from the Seminole's higher-profile scholarship swim program to Duke's non-scholarship team. At that time, NCAA rules said because she had walked on to Florida State's team, she would not have to sit out a year of eligibility. That is, if she swam at Duke at all.
"I was getting a little bit burned out at Florida State," she said. "When I decided to transfer to Duke I didn't talk to [Thompson]. I didn't know what to expect."
What Armond found was a program and a work ethic much different than Florida State. Instead of concentrating on technique, Thompson focused on distance swimming. And instead of focusing on winning, swimmers worked on improving.
"I fell in love with the sport all over again," she said. "I've just gotten excited about racing again. [Thompson] has given me a new outlook.... He has a really positive approach to workouts. He wants us to improve and have fun. He doesn't put a lot of pressure on us. If you don't have scholarships, you don't have that hostility between swimmers."
As Armond's attitude toward swimming improved, her times fell dramatically. Swimming the 200 and 400 individual medley, and the 200 butterfly at ACCs, Armond emerged as practically a different swimmer.
After spending the summer training in Georgia, she has already set several personal bests this season.
Last week, against ACC powerhouse Virginia, Armond not only won the 400 IM, but her time of 4:23.28 was well under the NCAA qualifying time. Armond swims not only butterfly and IM races, but also the 500 and 1000 freestyle.
"A great deal of it is just good genetics," said Thompson of her blistering speed. "She's a very talented and natural athlete. Technically, she's very good and she has a great feel for the water. On top of that, she's about as tenacious as any athlete could be.
"Most swimmers set personal bests at the end of the season, but she improves on a weekly basis."
Armond credits her improvement to the intensive distance work at Duke swim practices.
"I have definitely seen a big improvement in my distance events," she said. "I have a lot more confidence. When you've put in so much work, there's no way you can doubt yourself."
But as she wraps up her senior season, one goal remains.
Despite her times, by far the fastest in recent Duke history, Armond swims the same events as the last Duke swimmer to record an NCAA qualifying time, Olympian Nancy Hogshead. As a result, Armond has yet to set a school record.
"One of my goals this year is to get at least one of those records," she said. "It's nice to think that coach Thompson has had a swimmer in my events that swam that fast."
Armond is closest to Hogshead in the 400 IM, and that record could be set at the ACC Championships, held Feb. 18-20 in College Park, Md., where Armond will be taking a shot at her first ACC title.
Get The Chronicle straight to your inbox
Signup for our weekly newsletter. Cancel at any time.