This story originally appeared in the Spring 2026 edition of Hurricanes Magazine.

She earned All-ACC Academic recognition as a freshman.

She qualified for the NCAA Swimming and Diving Championships in consecutive years.

She set a school record time for the 200-yard butterfly with a time of 1:54:83.

But Hurricanes swimmer Ashlyn Massey is nowhere close to done.

Hailing from Montreal, Canada, the sophomore arrived at Miami in 2024 after a successful high school career, where she won the 200-yard fly at the Speedo Canadian Championships and was a four-time champion of the Coupe du Québec Junior et Senior.

It makes sense that it did not take Massey long to make her mark on Miami’s swim and dive program.

“It’s part of me to always want more, [to] always strive to be better in and out of the pool. . . I’m very competitive, so I’m always wanting to be better. After a race, there’s always, I know something I can improve on,” Massey said. “And when I get to practice, I know if I wasn’t happy with my race, [then] this is the time I need to work harder, better, [and] smarter. And same with school. If I’m not happy with one of my grades, it really allows me to reflect and know that I need to put in more work. And I think consistency is key when it comes to all.”

Following an impressive start to her collegiate swimming career, Hurricanes Magazine caught up with Massey to talk about her past, present, and future at The U.

Here’s what she had to say, in her own words…

HM: As a Canadian, what inspired you to come to the University of Miami?

AM: “I think being surrounded by my sport, where I was seeing so many older swimmers go to the [United] States and swim at college, it inspired me to want to do that as well. When I came on my visit to Miami, it was just so breathtaking. It wasn’t a hard decision for me. The team, the school, everything Miami had to offer, I was just so amazed with it and that’s what led me to making my decision to come here.”

HM: What have you enjoyed most about being at Miami?

AM: “Definitely the team. The girls on the team are just so amazing. They push me to work harder every single day, in and out of the pool. And honestly the athletic department as well. There’s so many resources and I feel so supported. And obviously the weather, coming from Canada. It’s so nice to be [in] summer all year ‘round when I hear my family back home going through awful snowstorms.”

HM: Who inspired you to pursue swimming as a sport?

AM: “My parents put me in the water at a very young age. I started liking it a lot more, so then I was put into competitive swimming. I’m very competitive, so I grew a passion for the sport. I was also playing soccer at the time, but I think at the end of the day I really just enjoyed swimming more and it gave me a lot of opportunities and I’ve met amazing people along the way because of the sport, so I’m very grateful for that.”

HM: You set a school record time of 1:54.83 in the 200-yard butterfly at the NCAA championships as a freshman. What was that moment like for you?

AM: “Honestly, it felt so good. It just showed how all the hard work I was putting in was brought to a result and I was very happy with that. And accomplishing that time, it felt good for me personally. … Having my team by my side and cheering me on, it’s definitely not something I could have done by myself. And they pushed me through so many hard times, and it feels like when I accomplished that time, it wasn’t something just for me, but for the team as a whole.”

HM: What goes into your preparation for races?

AM: “I think going to the [starting] block knowing that I’ve done all the work possible for me to just execute my race as planned. We put in so much hard work every single day, and I think I just need to go in [and] trust the process, and trust that I know what I’m doing. And again, surrounding myself with my teammates, [having] good, positive energy. And going up to the block, walking in, and just knowing I can do it.”

HM: How do you stay mentally focused throughout the course of a whole season?

AM: “It’s definitely a lot, but one thing I do go by is just taking [it] one thing at a time and controlling what I can control – trusting the process, trusting my coaches, [and] putting the work where it needs to be put in. Mentally, it is hard, but … I’m around such a supportive environment that it makes it a lot easier. There’ll definitely be days where it’s harder to get out of bed or harder to stay motivated to go to practice, but like I said, it’s nice to be able to lean on such a supportive environment.

HM: You received All-ACC Academic Recognition as a freshman. What did that mean for you?

AM: “Honestly, it was very accomplishing because as much as I love swimming and want to do good in swimming, I also value school a lot and I want to be very good academically alongside my sport. So that was a nice accomplishment to be able to get.”

HM: What have you learned from competing at the NCAA championship meet?

AM: “It’s amazing to be surrounded by such talented people, especially alongside our divers who are just absolutely amazing. Being able to watch them win national championships is a moment I will cherish forever. It’s so inspiring and they inspire me to work harder and be better. And it’s very motivating to be surrounded by that culture.”

HM: What kinds of goals are you setting for yourself ahead of next season?

AM: “I always want to be better. I want to break my record for the 200-fly. I want to get under that 1:54 mark. I want to compete at NCAAs again and make a final, and I want to be alongside my teammates. I want more of my teammates to make [the NCAA Championships] so we’re more of a group going. I think that’d be really good for our team and just the culture of it all as well. And I really want to see others succeed and be at that level as well and get them to experience just how amazing that meet is.

HM: What kinds of obstacles have you faced throughout your swimming career and how have you overcome them?

AM: “I think with all sports in general, there’ll be ups and downs and there’ll be hard times that you’ll need to push through. You’re obviously not going to be going [your] best times every single meet, and I think it’s important for an athlete to realize and be okay with not succeeding and being the best all the time. We’re human. We’re not going to be a hundred percent all the time. [But] push through it. … Rely on people that are supportive. Surround yourself in a positive environment, and [don’t] be so hard on yourself. As athletes, we work so hard day and night, and I think it’s really important to realize that. … Pat yourself on the back for small accomplishments. And in the end, you will succeed and you need to just trust the process.

HM: How do you think you’ve grown during your time on campus, whether that be athletically or academically?

AM: “I would say I’ve definitely grown just as a person. I think I’ve been surrounded by an environment that pushes me to be the best version of myself, and I’m surrounded by so many successful people in the water. But also academically, seeing people get an amazing internship and getting good grades … It just inspires me to be the best version of myself and I’m very grateful to be surrounded by such a successful environment.”

HM: What has been your favorite moment swimming for the Hurricanes?

AM: “I think a very memorable moment for me was when I got the 200-fly record. When I touched the wall, I looked up at all my teammates and coaches and it was the pure happiness everyone felt for me, and I felt so happy as well. It just was such a special moment to share with my teammates and coaches. And on a more team standpoint, I would say just finishing when we went to ACCs. We did a relay … it was me, another freshman, and two seniors, and I think sharing the last moment with them swimming was very special to me knowing that [was] the last race I got to be a part of with them. And after four or five years of swimming, it came down to that moment and that last race, and to share that moment with them felt very special to me.”

HM: What do you enjoy doing in your free time besides swimming?

AM: “I enjoy going for walks and going to the beach. The beach is definitely so nice to be able to do. It’s definitely something I was not used to coming here freshman year, so I really like to take the time and go to the beach with my friends or by myself and just read a book, relax by the ocean, and get some sun in.”

HM: What kind of career aspirations do you have for the future?

AM: “I definitely want to stay surrounded in sports. I’m in sports administration right now as a major and I think being here in the States, especially in Miami, it’s such a great opportunity. Sports are so big and we see it every single day, and I want to continue to be a part of that environment. So, I don’t know exactly what direction, but I know I want it to be something in the sports world.”

HM: What do you hope to accomplish going into the rest of your time at Miami?

AM: “I want to be able to get a master’s [degree] and graduate in the sports administration program. I want to swim to the fullest potential I have and just really take in the time here and make all the experiences out of it and make all the friends out of it.”

HM: What does it mean to you to be a Hurricane?

AM: “I think being a Hurricane is so special. Coming here, everything was just so unreal. And every day I’m still just amazed and I learn new things every single day. And representing The U means a lot to me. Whenever I do [well], it’s a reflection of all the hard work I’ve put in, but also all the hard work my teammates have put in.”