▁of ▁Illinois ▁at ▁U rb ana – Ch amp aign . ▁She ▁attended ▁on ▁a ▁sw imming ▁scholar ship ▁and ▁served ▁as ▁the ▁sw im ▁team ▁captain ▁for ▁two ▁years ▁while ▁studying ▁k ines i ology . ▁As ▁a ▁sw immer ▁she ▁focused ▁on ▁the ▁ 1 6 5 0 ▁and ▁ 5 0 0 ▁free , ▁the ▁ 2 0 0 ▁fly , ▁and ▁the ▁ 4 0 0 ▁IM . ▁▁ ▁In ▁ 2 0 0 2 , ▁following ▁college , ▁William son ▁was ▁invited ▁to ▁the ▁United ▁States ▁Olympic ▁Training ▁Center ▁( OT C ) ▁in ▁Colorado ▁Spr ings ▁by ▁USA ▁Tri ath lon ▁after ▁being ▁identified ▁as ▁potential ▁el ite ▁young ▁talent ▁at ▁Olympic ▁distance ▁tri ath lon ▁racing . ▁She ▁had ▁experienced ▁some ▁early ▁success ▁in ▁tri ath lon ▁after ▁college ▁sw imming , ▁where ▁she ▁used ▁tri ath lon ▁as ▁a ▁new ▁way ▁to ▁stay ▁active ▁and ▁satisfy ▁her ▁enjoy ment ▁of ▁athlet ic ▁training . ▁At ▁the ▁O TC ▁she ▁trained ▁for ▁two ▁years ▁while ▁compet ing ▁on ▁the ▁International ▁Tri ath lon ▁Union ▁( IT U ) ▁racing ▁circuit . ▁During ▁this ▁time ▁she ▁won ▁the ▁ 2 0 0 2 ▁Pan ▁American ▁IT U ▁Regional ▁Championships ▁and ▁was ▁named ▁the ▁ 2 0 0 2 ▁El ite ▁Ro ok ie ▁Tri ath lete ▁of ▁the ▁Year . ▁ ▁In ▁ 2 0 0 5 , ▁William son ▁began ▁co aching ▁after ▁suffering ▁an ▁injury ▁in ▁a ▁bi ke ▁crash ▁that ▁kept ▁her ▁out ▁of