Swimming and Diving
Neilsen was Carleton’s first female NCAA individual swimming champion, capturing the 1995 100-yard breaststroke title, becoming the first Division III female to break 1:05.00 in the event. She earned three All-America citations in the 100 breaststroke and was an All-America honorable mention in the 200-yard breaststroke. She captured the MIAC title in the 100 and 200-yard breaststroke in 1995 and helped the 200-yard medley relay team to a victory as well. She added the 100 breaststroke conference title in 1993, was a four-time all-conference performer individually and set three school records during her career. A four-year letter winner and team captain for the Knights, she earned a prestigious NCAA Postgraduate Scholarship and was an Academic All-America selection. She was also the first recipient of the Pat Lamb Award as Carleton’s top female student-athlete of the year. Neilsen lives with her husband, Lochlan Cuthbertson, and son Ailin Cuthbertson, in Santa Cruz, Calif. She has been studying and practicing permaculture and sustainable living in their residential garden and has recently begun teaching, specializing in water supply and community water security issues. She is an avid bike rider, enjoys chilly swims in the ocean and is training for a summer triathlon.