Mary Mohler

{{short description|American swimmer}} {{Use mdy dates|date=October 2015}} {{Infobox swimmer | name = Mary Mohler | image = Mary Mohler 2009.jpg | image_size = | alt = | caption = Mohler in 2009 | birth_name = Mary Elizabeth DeScenza | full_name = Mary Elizabeth Mohler | nicknames = | national_team = {{USA}} | birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1984|9|17|mf=y}} | birth_place = Middlesex, New Jersey, U.S. | death_date = | death_place = | height = 5 ft 10 in | weight = | strokes = Butterfly, backstroke, freestyle | club = Athens Bulldog Swim Club | coach = Jack Bauerle | collegeteam = University of Georgia | medaltemplates = {{MedalSport | Women's swimming}} {{MedalCountry | United States}} {{MedalCompetition | World Championships (LC)}} {{MedalGold | 2005 Montreal | 4×200 m freestyle}}<ref>[http://www.omegatiming.com/swimming/racearchives/2005/montreal2005/F74_ResSummary_26_Heats_Women_4x200_Free.pdf 2005 Montreal – Heat results: Women's 4x200 m freestyle] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120304021746/http://www.omegatiming.com/swimming/racearchives/2005/montreal2005/F74_ResSummary_26_Heats_Women_4x200_Free.pdf |date=March 4, 2012 }}</ref> {{MedalSilver|2001 Fukuoka|4×100 m medley}} {{MedalSilver|2003 Barcelona|4×100 m medley}}<ref>[http://www.omegatiming.com/swimming/racearchives/2003/barcelona2003/F74_ResSummary_37_Prelim_Women_4x100_Medley.pdf 2003 Barcelona – Heat results: Women's 4x100 m medley] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120304021930/http://www.omegatiming.com/swimming/racearchives/2003/barcelona2003/F74_ResSummary_37_Prelim_Women_4x100_Medley.pdf |date=March 4, 2012 }}</ref> {{MedalSilver|2005 Montreal|4×100 m medley}}<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.omegatiming.com/swimming/racearchives/2005/montreal2005/F74_ResSummary_37_Heats_Women_4x100_Medley.pdf |title=2005 Montreal – Heat results: Women's 4x100 m medley |access-date=June 21, 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120304021753/http://www.omegatiming.com/swimming/racearchives/2005/montreal2005/F74_ResSummary_37_Heats_Women_4x100_Medley.pdf |archive-date=March 4, 2012 |url-status=dead |df=mdy-all}}</ref> {{MedalBronze|2005 Montreal|4×100 m freestyle}}<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20120304021808/http://www.omegatiming.com/swimming/racearchives/2005/montreal2005/F74_ResSummary_7_Heats_Women_4x100_Free.pdf 2005 Montreal – Heat results: Women's 4x100 m freestyle]</ref> {{MedalCompetition|World Championships (SC)}} {{MedalGold|2008 Manchester|200 m butterfly}} {{MedalSilver|2006 Shanghai|4×100 m medley}}<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20060411211648/http://www.omegatiming.com/swimming/racearchives/2006/shanghai2006/F74_ResSummary_26_Heats_Women_4x100_Medley.pdf 2006 Shanghai – Heat results: Women's 4x100 Medley]</ref> {{MedalCompetition | Pan Pacific Championships}} {{MedalSilver| 2002 Yokohama | 200 m butterfly}} {{MedalBronze| 2006 Victoria | 100 m butterfly}} }}

'''Mary Elizabeth Mohler''' ({{née}} '''DeScenza''', born September 17, 1984) is an American former competition swimmer and former world record-holder in the Women's 200-meter butterfly (long course).

== Pre-college career == Mohler showed promise from an early age. Swimming for the Academy Bullets Swim Club, she set several team records, some lasting over a decade.<ref>{{cite web |title=Academy Bullets Swim Club Records |url=http://www.teamunify.com/Records.jsp?_tabid_=2570&team=isabsc |date=March 23, 2009 |access-date=April 5, 2009 }}{{Dead link|date=January 2026 |bot=InternetArchiveBot }}</ref> In high school, Mohler was a two time state champion in the 200 yard freestyle, a four-time state champion in the 100 yard butterfly, and a two-time state champion in the 200 yard medley relay. She broke the 100 yard butterfly IHSA state record during the 2001 state finals with the time of 53.11.<ref>{{cite web |title=Illinois High School Association Girls Swimming & Diving Individual Champions |url=http://www.ihsa.org/activity/swg/records/ybych1.htm |publisher=IHSA |date=November 22, 2009 |access-date=April 5, 2009}}</ref>

Mohler swam the butterfly leg of the 4x100 medley relay in the 2001 World Aquatics Championships in Fukuoka, Japan, winning her first international medal, a silver. She had finished fourth in the individual final.

== Collegiate career == Mohler attended the University of Georgia, earning seven All-American certificates. She was a four-time NCAA champion in the 200 yard butterfly from 2003 to 2006 - only the second time a swimmer had done so, behind Mary T. Meagher.

In 2003, Mohler won another relay silver at the World Aquatics Championships, and followed it up with three more relay medals at the 2005 World Aquatics Championships, including her first gold medal in the 4x200 freestyle relay.

In 2005, she won an NCAA title with the UGA swimming and diving team. That year, she participated on four of the five winning relays and won two of her individual events, the 100 and 200 yard Butterfly. Her records set at UGA still stand for the 100 and 200 yard Butterfly with the times of 51.56 and 1:53.51, respectively. She won the 2005–06 Honda Sports Award for Swimming and Diving, recognizing her as the outstanding college female swimmer of the year.<ref>Collegiate Women Sports Awards, [http://www.collegiatewomensportsawards.com/archives/swimdive Past Honda Sports Award Winners for Swimming & Diving]. Retrieved December 4, 2014.</ref><ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.swimmingworldmagazine.com/news/descenza-wins-honda-award/ |title=DeScenza Wins Honda Award |date=2006-04-06 |website=Swimming World News |language=en-US |access-date=2020-03-24}}</ref>

In 2019, Mohler was inducted into the University of Georgia's Circle of Honor, the highest honor for UGA student-athletes.<ref>USA Swimming, [https://sftest.usaswimming.org/news-landing-page/2019/04/11/mary-descenza-mohler-celebrates-her-life-as-wife-and-mother] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200322063758/https://sftest.usaswimming.org/news-landing-page/2019/04/11/mary-descenza-mohler-celebrates-her-life-as-wife-and-mother |date=March 22, 2020 }}. Retrieved March 22, 2020.</ref>

{| class="wikitable" ! colspan="4" | NCAA swim titles |- bgcolor="#eeeeee" ! align="center" | '''Year''' ! align="center" | '''Event''' ! align="center" | '''Time''' |- | 2003 || 200 yard Butterfly || 1:53.51 |- | 2004 || 200 meter Butterfly || 2:06.02 |- | 2004 || 400 meter Freestyle Relay || 3:35.14 |- | 2004 || 400 meter Medley Relay || 3:56.00 |- | 2005 || 100 yard Butterfly || 52.11 |- | 2005 || 200 yard Butterfly || 1:54.19 |- | 2005 || 400 yard Freestyle Relay || 3:13.56 |- | 2005 || 800 yard Freestyle Relay || 7:01.03 |- | 2005 || 200 yard Medley Relay || 1:37.81 |- | 2005 || 400 yard Medley Relay || 3:33.89 |- | 2006 || 100 yard Butterfly || 51.56 |- | 2006 || 200 yard Butterfly || 1:53.78 |- | 2006 || 800 yard Freestyle Relay || 7:03.75 |- | 2006 || 200 yard Medley Relay || 1:37.24 |- |}

===2004 Olympic Trials=== In 2004, Mohler qualified for the U.S. Olympic Swim Trials, but did not make the team, coming in fourth in the 200m butterfly with a time of 2:10.89. This was an upset, as she was the reigning NCAA champion in the 200 butterfly, and had qualified for three US world championship teams before.<ref>{{cite news |author=Svrluga, Barry |title=Olympics: Swim Trials |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A44785-2004Jul12.html |newspaper=The Washington Post |date=July 13, 2004 |access-date=April 7, 2009}}</ref> She also finished 7th in the 100 meter butterfly.<ref>{{cite web |title=2004 U.S. Olympic swim trials results |url=https://www.usatoday.com/sports/olympics/athens/swimming/2004-07-11-sunday-swim-finals_x.htm |publisher=USA Today |date=July 11, 2004 |access-date=April 6, 2009}}</ref>

== Professional career == A year before graduating from UGA, Mohler signed with major swimsuit brand TYR.<ref>{{cite web |title=Industry News: Mary DeScenza Signs with TYR Sport Beyond 2008 Olympics |url=http://www.swimmingworldmagazine.com/lane9/news/11227.asp |publisher=Sports Publication International, Inc. |date=April 18, 2006 |access-date=April 5, 2009 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120213175437/http://www.swimmingworldmagazine.com/lane9/news/11227.asp |archive-date=February 13, 2012 |df=mdy-all}}</ref>

Mohler was motivated to make the 2008 Olympic Team after narrowly missing the team in 2004, citing her 4th place finish in the 200m fly as a "blessing in disguise" because she was able to focus more of her swimming and train harder by learning from her mistakes.<ref>{{cite web |author=Schaller, Bob |title=20 Questions with Mary DeScenza |url=http://www.usaswimming.org/USASWeb/ViewMiscArticle.aspx?TabId=280&Alias=Rainbow&Lang=en&mid=408&ItemId=2116 |publisher=USA Swimming |date=May 23, 2006 |access-date=April 7, 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070213043100/http://www.usaswimming.org/usasweb/ViewMiscArticle.aspx?TabId=280&Alias=Rainbow&Lang=en&mid=408&ItemId=2116 |archive-date=February 13, 2007 |url-status=dead |df=mdy-all}}</ref> In 2007, she came in second behind Michael Phelps in the 2007-08 USA Swimming Grand Prix Series.<ref>{{cite web |title=Phelps Secures Toyota Grand Prix Series Top Spot |url=http://www.usaswimming.org/USASWeb/ViewNewsArticle.aspx?TabId=0&Alias=Rainbow&Lang=en&ItemId=2044&mid=3774 |publisher=USA Swimming |date=March 26, 2009 |access-date=April 5, 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060721105323/http://www.usaswimming.org/USASWeb/ViewNewsArticle.aspx?TabId=0 |archive-date=July 21, 2006 |url-status=dead |df=mdy-all}}</ref>

===2008 Olympic Trials=== However, in 2008, Mohler again was just short of a spot on the team. In the 200 meter butterfly, she finished fourth again, although improved her time to a 2:09.23.<ref>{{cite web |title=U.S. Olympic Trials: Elaine Breeden Grabs Spot in Beijing With Meet Record 200 Fly |url=http://www.swimmingworldmagazine.com/lane9/news/18440.asp |publisher=Sports Publications International, Inc. |date=July 3, 2008 |access-date=April 5, 2009 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111229064139/http://www.swimmingworldmagazine.com/lane9/news/18440.asp |archive-date=December 29, 2011 |df=mdy-all}}</ref> She also finished fourth in the 200 meter backstroke, sixth in the 100 meter butterfly, and 10th in the 100 meter backstroke.<ref>{{cite web |author=Manahan, Kevin |title=Plainsboro swimmer snags spot in Olympic trials final |url=http://www.nj.com/news/index.ssf/2008/07/plainsboro_swimmer_snags_spot.html |publisher=The Star Ledger |date=July 1, 2008 |access-date=April 6, 2009}}</ref>

However, at the 2008 U.S. Open Swim meet, Mohler won the 100m and 200m butterfly, setting a meet record in the former, and tied for first in the 200m freestyle with Kristen Heiss. She also set a meet record in the 4 × 200 m freestyle relay with the Athens Bulldogs.<ref>{{cite web |title=USA Swimming U.S. Open |url=http://www.usaswimming.org/USASWeb/ViewMiscArticle.aspx?TabId=920&Alias=rainbow&Lang=en&mid=2680&ItemId=2911 |access-date=May 14, 2009}}{{Dead link|date=November 2018 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref>

===2009 US Open & 2009 World Championships=== In the 2009 U.S. Open Swim meet, which also served as the US qualifying meet for the 2009 World Aquatics Championships, Mohler finished 2nd in the 200m fly with a 2:07.13. Because the top two finishers in each event get to swim it individually, this swim qualified Mohler for the 2009 World Aquatics Championships in Rome. She also finished 12th in 200m free, 8th in 100m back, and 4th in 100m fly.<ref>{{cite web |title=2009 US Open Results |url=https://www.usaswimming.org/Home/events/results |publisher=US Swimming |access-date=March 22, 2020 |archive-date=April 17, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190417034757/https://www.usaswimming.org/Home/events/results |url-status=dead }}</ref>

In the preliminaries of the 200m butterfly, Mohler set a world record with a time of 2:04.14. This beat the old world record - set by Chinese swimmer Liu Zige in the 2008 Olympics - by just 0.04 of a second.<ref>{{cite web |title=Descenza Breaks World Record in 200m Butterfly |url=https://www.tyr.com/descenza-breaks-world-record-in-200m-butterfly/ |publisher=TYR Sport, Inc |access-date=March 22, 2020 |archive-date=March 22, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200322063759/https://www.tyr.com/descenza-breaks-world-record-in-200m-butterfly/ |url-status=dead }}</ref> Despite this outstanding performance, Mohler fell just short of a medal in the finals, finishing fourth with a time of 2:04.41, just 0.13 behind bronze medal winner Katinka Hosszú. The gold medalist, Australian swimmer Jessicah Schipper, broke Mohler's world record with a time of 2:03.41.

== Personal life == Mohler was born into an Italian-American family in Middlesex, New Jersey, and learned to swim at the age of six.<ref>Manahan, Kevin. [http://www.nj.com/news/index.ssf/2008/07/plainsboro_swimmer_snags_spot.html "Plainsboro swimmer snags spot in Olympic trials final"], NJ Advance Media for NJ.com, July 1, 2008. Accessed November 27, 2017. "Descenza, born in Middlesex, learned to swim at the local YMCA and competed with the Middlesex Water Rats until her family moved to Chicago when she was 8."</ref> Mohler has an older sister, Katie, and a younger sister, Patricia; the latter qualified to swim the 200 m butterfly in the 2004 US Olympic Trials alongside Mary. Her father, Robert DeScenza, works as a structural engineer and her mother, Margaret DeScenza, is a homemaker. She attended Rosary High School in Aurora, Illinois, and graduated from the University of Georgia in 2007 with a Bachelor of Science in Biology. Mohler's collegiate swimming career reached its peak as she became a four-time NCAA champion in the 200 butterfly.

Mohler's personality has been described by friends and family as very outgoing and quirky, so she has been known to have the nicknames of "Crazy" and "Crazy Mary". Mohler has a long-haired weiner dog named Speedo. Before swimming, she participated in soccer and softball. In addition, her favorite hobbies outside the pool are baking, reading, and shopping.<ref>{{cite web |title=USA Swimming Biography: Mary DeScenza |url=http://www.usaswimming.org/USASWeb/DesktopModules/BioViewManaged.aspx?personid=857d7d61-a3d9-4441-9b95-9627629fabfa&TabId=388&Mid=597 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20130416022929/http://www.usaswimming.org/USASWeb/DesktopModules/BioViewManaged.aspx?personid=857d7d61-a3d9-4441-9b95-9627629fabfa&TabId=388&Mid=597 |url-status=dead |archive-date=2013-04-16 |publisher=USA Swimming |date=2009 |access-date=April 5, 2009}}</ref>

Currently, Mohler lives with her husband, Charlie, and their four kids, Maggie, Emily, Joey, and John. They married just weeks after she set the world record in the 200m butterfly.<ref>{{cite web |author=Watkins, Mike |title=Mary Descenza Mohler Celebrates her Life as Wife and Mother |url=https://sftest.usaswimming.org/news-landing-page/2019/04/11/mary-descenza-mohler-celebrates-her-life-as-wife-and-mother |publisher=USA Swimming |date=2019-04-11 |access-date=March 22, 2020 |archive-date=March 22, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200322063758/https://sftest.usaswimming.org/news-landing-page/2019/04/11/mary-descenza-mohler-celebrates-her-life-as-wife-and-mother |url-status=dead }}</ref>

== Personal best times == Mohler's former American record time of 2:04.14 in the 200m butterfly was broken on June 4, 2023 by Regan Smith. {| class="wikitable" ! colspan="4" | Records |- bgcolor="#eeeeee" ! align="center" | '''Stroke''' ! align="center" | '''Course''' ! align="center" | '''Time''' ! align="center" | '''Standard''' ! align="center" | '''Meet''' ! algin="center" | '''Meet Date''' |- | 50 Butterfly || Long Course Meters || 27.25 || "AA" and "All Times" || 2003 World Championships || July 20, 2003 |- | 50 Butterfly || Short Course Meters || 26.84 || "All Times" || 2006 SC World Champs || May 4, 2006 |- | 100 Butterfly || Short Course Meters || 57.79 || Summer Nationals (LCM) || 2004 Women's NCAA Champs || March 18, 2004 |- | 100 Butterfly || Short Course Yards || 51.56 || Summer Nationals (LCM) || 2006 Women's NCAA Champs || March 16, 2006 |- | 100 Butterfly || Long Course Meters || 58.11 || NRT || Missouri Grand Prix || February 13, 2009 |- | 200 Butterfly || Long Course Meters || 2:04.14 || Summer Nationals (LCM) || World Championships || July 29, 2009 |- | 200 Butterfly || Short Course Yards || 1:51.28 || Summer Nationals (LCM) || 2009 So. CA Grand Prix Series || January 16, 2009 |- | 200 Butterfly || Short Course Meters || 2:04.27 || Summer Nationals (LCM) || 2008 SC Worlds || September 4, 2008 |- |}

==References== {{Reflist|30em}}

==External links== {{Commons category|Mary Mohler}} * {{World Aquatics}} * {{USA Swimming|new_id=mary-mohler|archive=20210602224246}} * [http://www.teamunify.com/Records.jsp?_tabid_=2570&team=isabsc Academy Bullets Swim Club] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110716200515/http://www.teamunify.com/Records.jsp?_tabid_=2570&team=isabsc |date=July 16, 2011 }} * [http://www.swimmingworldmagazine.com/results/records/AmericanRecords_SCM.pdf American Short Course Meters Records] * [http://www.athensbulldogs.com/# Athens Bulldog Swim Club] * {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090216224422/http://tyr.com/marydescenza.php |date=February 16, 2009 |title=TYR Biography}} * {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090519090940/http://www.uga.edu/amazing/descenza.htm |date=May 19, 2009 |title=University of Georgia Biography}} * {{webarchive|url=https://archive.today/20130416023320/http://www.usaswimming.org/USASWeb/DesktopModules/BioView.aspx?personid=857d7d61-a3d9-4441-9b95-9627629fabfa&TabId=388&Mid=597 |date=April 16, 2013 |title=USA Swimming Best Times & Records Chart}} * {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070213043100/http://www.usaswimming.org/usasweb/ViewMiscArticle.aspx?TabId=280&Alias=Rainbow&Lang=en&mid=408&ItemId=2116 |date=February 13, 2007 |title=USA Swimming 20 Questions Interview}}

{{s-start}} {{s-ach|rec}} {{succession box|before=Liu Zige|title=Women's 200-meter butterfly<br>world record-holder (long course)|years=July 29, 2009 – July 30, 2009 |after=Jessica Schipper}} {{s-end}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Mohler, Mary}} Category:1984 births Category:Living people Category:American female backstroke swimmers Category:American female butterfly swimmers Category:American female freestyle swimmers Category:World record setters in swimming Category:Georgia Bulldogs women's swimmers Category:World Aquatics Championships medalists in swimming Category:Medalists at the FINA World Swimming Championships (25 m) Category:People from Middlesex, New Jersey Category:Sportspeople from Middlesex County, New Jersey Category:Swimmers from New Jersey Category:21st-century American women