“Jury Duty” is a weekly column that spotlights different Brandeis student-athletes. Please email sports@thejustice.org if you would like to nominate someone. We hope to bridge the gap between student-athletes and non student-athletes by highlighting relatable content to make the community feel more approachable. If you see a highlighted athlete around campus, introduce yourself! Or head to Gosman and cheer them on.

Monica Iizuka ’24, a senior powerhouse on the women’s swim and dive team, broke her own school record in the 100 backstroke at the Gompei Invitational at the Worcester Polytechnic Institute on Dec. 13, with a time of 57.70. She placed 1st in the 50-yard backstroke at the Gompei Invitational, with a time of 26.55, and at a meet against Stonehill College on Jan. 17, Iizuka also won the 50-yard backstroke.

A 2022-2023 UAA Winter All-Academic Recognition Honoree, Iizuka is a Computer Science major from Chatham, New Jersey. As both a backstroke and a freestyle swimmer, Iizuka has demonstrated the ability to dominate the pool in several different heats. On her senior day this past Saturday, Jan. 20, Iizuka led the women’s team to strong wins over Bridgewater State University and Keene State College, winning 158-128 and 153-137 respectively. Iizuka captured first place in two individual events, the 50-yard freestyle (25.62 seconds) and the 100-yard backstroke (60.53 seconds).

You can often find Monica listening to any combination of musical artists such as Alan Walker, BTS, Avicii, AJR, The Chainsmokers, OneRepublic, or Labyrinth. Her favorite place to hang out on campus is the Goldfarb Mezzanine, and when the weather is warmer, she loves caramel ice cream. A fun fact about her is that her favorite show is "Criminal Minds." If you see Monica on campus, congratulate her on her impressive swim performance and come to the Linsey Pool to see her break more records.