Knoch High swimmer Brooke Zukowski signs her national letter of intent to accept an athletic scholarship to the University of New Mexico on Wednesday. In the photo are her former high school coach, Rick Hassler, far left, her brother Braden, back, and father Brad and mother Shauna.

JEFFERSON TWP — Albuquerque, N.M., is nearly 1,700 miles and two time zones away.

But beginning next summer, it will be Brooke Zukowski's home away from home.

Knoch High School's senior girls swimming standout signed a letter of intent Nov. 9 to attend the University of New Mexico.

“In a way it's scary, knowing that it's so far away,” said Zukowski, “but I've lived in Saxonburg my whole life. It will be a good opportunity for me to expand, get out and experience different things.”

Zukowski, who plans to major in physical therapy, visited the Division I school in September and fell in love with the campus.

“I really liked the atmosphere, it's very pretty out there,” she said. “I knew when I got there that that's where I wanted to go. I met the team and loved it. Everybody was so nice to me.”

Zukowski is gearing up for her senior season at Knoch, one she has high hopes for. She is the three-time defending champion in the WPIAL Class AA 100-yard breaststroke, improving her time with each crown.

She swam a school-record time of 1 minute, 3.43 seconds to win last year's title. She also has a WPIAL runner-up effort in the 200 individual medley to her credit and has competed at the state championship meet three times.

She hopes to make it four.

“Right now, I'm not sure what times I think I can go this year. I just need to keep my training up and see how it turns out,” she said.

Outside of high school, Zukowski has swam for several teams. She currently hits the water for Butler's YMCA team.

“That experience has really helped me,” she said. “I've been able to compete against better swimmers you don't see during the high school season.”

New Mexico competes in the Mountain West Conference. The Lobos are currently in the midst of head coach Dorsey Tierney-Walker's first season with the team.

While a co-head coach at Auburn University in 2006 and 2007, she guided the Tigers to back-to-back national titles.

Zukowski began swimming competitively when she was just five years old. Not long after, she set a goal of swimming in college.

So when she sat down last week to make her commitment to New Mexico official, it was a moment she will never forget.

“It was definitely surreal,” she said. “I was thinking to myself, 'This is it!' It was a weird feeling, but very exciting.”