Fab Five: Katja Pavicevic

LA JOLLA, Calif. – Photographs have the ability to capture important pieces of our past and help us recall people, places, feelings, and memories that made an impact on our lives. For many scholar-athletes, pictures secure those special moments and assist in making their collegiate careers last forever.

In a feature called “Fab Five”, Triton scholar-athletes are tasked to pick five of their favorite photos to be highlighted on UCSDtritons.com. 

Today, Katja Pavicevic from the Triton swim and dive team shares her favorite pics.

Katja began her collegiate swim career at UC San Diego in 2019, hailing from Toronto, Canada. Her impact in the pool was felt immediately as she qualified for the NCAA Championships in her freshman year, along with earning CSCAA All-American honors in the 100 and 200 breaststroke and won the B-Final at the NCAA Championships to earn a ninth place finish and an honorable mention in the 200 individual medley. Most recently in her junior season, Katja continued to make an impact for the Tritons. She helped lead the women's side to the first NCAA Division I conference championship at the Mountain Pacific Sports Federation Championship. In the championship meet, Katja posted the most points overall on the women's side to help the Tritons finish on top. Outside of the pool, she serves on the Triton Athletes' Council as the swim and dive team representative. 

Katja is a global health major out of UC San Diego's Muir College.

1. We Ride

This first photo depicts our pre-meet huddle at a dual-meet against CMS, from my freshman year. Before every single meet we do a team cheer, men and women, together, and then bring it in for a “Tritons on 3.” I love the feeling of being in the center of the circle and knowing that everyone is as amped up as I am, ready to get the show on the road. Just hearing everyone scream our cheer is enough to get the adrenaline pumping. Our team has a ride-or-die sort of energy, and I just know that it’s going to be a fun one (meet) every Saturday we compete in the sun.  

2. Hard Work Pays Off

This photo is without a doubt one of my favorites from my college career thus far. This was taken my freshman year after my win in the 200 Breaststroke against UC Berkeley, who would go on to win the PAC-12 Conference title later that season. A little bit of backstory: our team was pretty tired as this dual-meet was on a Monday during a long weekend, following travel to Santa Barbara on Friday-Saturday and a tough meet against UCSB. It was also a long-course meet (50 meters/LCM) and during the college season, we usually compete in short-course yards events (25 yards/SCY).

This particular meet was a women-only competition, but our entire men’s team showed up to cheer us on. Though I was seeded first in this event, I remember being nervous—

the girls from Berkeley had brought their A game, there were some Olympians and pros who came out to race LCM and qualify for various meets. I don’t recall much from the race, but I vividly remember turning for home at the far end of the pool and seeing the entire men’s team behind my lane and in my face, which gave me the strength to come home in a season-best. The image of my teammates and coaches on the side going wild and me jumping up to slap the water will be forever in my memory. 

3. Overcoming the Odds

This photo probably reflects the hardest memory from my time at UCSD. Although it looks like any other swimming photo, it was taken at the 2020 NCAA Division II Championships, UCSD’s last year competing in that division. Two weeks before, I had fractured my foot and made the tough decision to still compete; despite the injury, I was determined to give my best and score as many points for the team as I could. We were trying to win the Championship and victoriously start transitioning to Division I. Unfortunately the meet was canceled halfway through due to the onset of COVID-19. We flew home the next day and never had a chance to finish what we started. That was the beginning of a challenging year and a half for our team, as we did what we could with restrictions and made some memories along the way. 

If you had told me before college that I would ever compete with a broken bone at the most important meet of the season, I would have laughed and thought you were kidding, but I pushed through the pain, and it was all because of the enormous help from the team. Thanks to my teammates for walking me out in my crutches and boot, to pulling me out of the pool after my 400IM—I wouldn’t have been able to, or wanted to, go through it without any other group of people. 

4. The Man, The Myth, The Legend

I actually don’t remember this photo being taken or which dual-meet it was, but I think it perfectly describes our Head Coach, Marko Djordjevic. Marko became the Head Coach my freshman year; he has been an amazing coach since I met him, leading our team through countless obstacles, highs and lows, and finally UCSD’s first MPSF Conference Championship since entering the Division I era. He is actually one of the main reasons I decided to commit to swim at UCSD. I knew right away that he is a one-of-a-kind coach that pays attention to his athletes and really knows each of his swimmers. Our team has a lot of running jokes based on things Marko has said to us including: “I would run through a brick wall for you guys,” simply “BE BETTER,” “do what needs to be done” and some other funny ones (yes, these are all direct quotes, our favorites). Marko likes to put on this tough exterior, but we all know he is secretly silly goofy and will mess around with us, especially after a win. I can confidently say I would not be the athlete I am today without him, having him on my side no matter what, through thick and thin! 

5. The Team That Makes Everything Worth It

This photo was taken at the 2022 Mountain Pacific Sports Federation Conference Championships after our women’s team broke Hawaii’s five-year winning streak and won the conference championship. It was truly an entire team effort, from every individual swim to every relay, and cheering on the sidelines in-between. I lost my voice after the first day, and it was an uphill battle from there. The scores were pretty even after every single finals session, but we knew going into the last relay that we were either going to win by 0.5 a point, 12.5 points or place second depending on how the 4x100 Freestyle relay placed. From the second the buzzer went off for that last race, the energy inside the pool was indescribable. Watching Ciara, Jordan, Miranda, and Tina race was awe-inspiring, and when they touched the wall first the crowd went wild. All the parents and alumni who came to watch us were jumping up and down screaming, but that doesn’t even compare to what we were doing on deck. 

After they announced our win, we rejoiced in following the tradition and pushing all 4 coaches and our 2 athletic trainers, Matt and Danielle, into the pool. I’ll never forget jumping in the pool and holding my teammates' hands. I am so grateful and so lucky to be surrounded by such an amazing group of women and staff that makes waking up each day at 5 am worth it. Without each and every person in this photo, we wouldn’t have been able to accomplish such a momentous victory. 

Check back on UCSDTritons.com all summer for future editions of “Fab Five” from other UC San Diego scholar-athletes. Previous “Fab Five” entries are below.

2022

• Sam Feinberg (Men's Rowing)
• Ava McInnes (Women's Volleyball)
• Adee Newman (Track and Field)
• Jake Kosakowski (Men's Basketball)
• Rachel Wagner (Women's Tennis)
• Matt Palma (Men's Volleyball)
• Nick Cirrito (Men's Soccer)
• Manuel Augusto (Men's Water Polo)
• Deena Pederson (Softball)

2020
• Sergi Mata (Men's Golf)
• Gabe Hadley (Men's Basketball)
• Jonathan Sabouri (Men's Soccer)
• Grace Murphy (Swimming & Diving)
• Collin Shannon (Men's Volleyball)
• Cindy Tran (Women's Volleyball)
• Jake Selstad (Men's Cross Country/Track & Field)
• Calder Hilde-Jones (Men's Water Polo)
• Anu Bhadada (Women's Tennis)
• Natalie Widmer (Women's Soccer)
• Konami Masui (Women's Fencing)
• Sarah Proctor (Women's Rowing)
• Neil Tengbumroong (Men's Tennis)
• Cameron Leonard (Baseball)
• Isabel Lavrov (Softball)
• Zeinab Torabi (Women's Track & Field)
 

About UC San Diego Athletics
After two decades as one of the most successful programs in NCAA Division II, the UC San Diego intercollegiate athletics program has begun a new era as a member of the Big West Conference in NCAA Division I. The 23-sport Tritons earned 30 team and nearly 150 individual national championships during its time in Divisions II and III and helped guide 1,400 scholar-athletes to All-America honors. A total of 83 Tritons have earned Academic All-America honors, while 38 have garnered prestigious NCAA Post Graduate Scholarships. UC San Diego scholar-athletes exemplify the academic ideals of one of the world's preeminent institutions, graduating at an average rate of 90 percent, the highest rate among public institutions in Division I or II. For more information on the Tritons, visit UCSDtritons.com or follow UC San Diego Athletics on social media @UCSDtritons.