Get to Know: Andres Puente

Swimming and diving’s seven-time All-American Andres Puente has seen huge growth in each year of competing for the Aggies. The junior has qualified for NCAA Championships all four seasons, capping this winter's appearance by shattering the school record in the 200 breast en route to an eighth-place finish.

Puente has merited All-SEC Second Team accolades for his performance at the SEC Championships in 2022, earning a bronze medal in the 200 breast. He also made it to the podium stand his freshman year, claiming silver in the 200 breast. Recently he sat down and reflected on how swimming and Texas A&M have shaped him into the person he is today.

What made you choose A&M and how was the transition for you, being so far away from your home in Mexico?

“When I started to look at schools in the United States to come and train, I was looking at the top schools in the nation. Since we swam meters in Mexico, long-course and short-course, it was hard for schools to look at me and say ‘this guy has potential and is good’ because my long course times were not that good, I was pretty average. It was hard for me to get recruited. But lucky for me, there were other Mexican swimmers here at A&M like Angel (Martinez) and Mauro (Castillo) who, at the time, was the top breaststroker for A&M. So, I got the opportunity to know them at nationals and they introduced me to Jay (Holmes) and told him good things about me so that put me on Jay and Jason’s radar. I would say I was pretty lucky to be able to come here.”

From your freshman year to where you are now, how would you explain your growth in and out of the pool?

“A lot. First, during freshman year it was so hard for me to speak English. It was hard for me to understand all the sets, all the workouts, school and just having a relationship with the team because I was not that fluent. It was hard to communicate and understand. Now that I’m a senior, it’s been an amazing journey in getting to know these guys, catching on to how they act and their jokes, how practices look and how to do well in school. Tests were pretty hard at the beginning of my first semester because I had no idea what some words meant. It was pretty tough, but it was a big part of my growth here at A&M. Just speaking English helped me get better every day. Also living without my parents. In Mexico, most people stay with their parents even in college, but it is not very common here. For me, coming to a different country all by myself was pretty scary. I wanted to leave and be independent at first but at some point, in my first semester, it hit me that this is not easy, especially not knowing the language or knowing anyone.”

What’s the chemistry like with your teammates and how did they help with your transition?

“Yes, all the Mexicans and even some swimmers on the women’s team really helped me out. It was hard to understand the sets, but I had them to ask what Jay and Jason wanted from me and what the workouts looked like. So, I had all those mentors during my freshman year and it was a blessing for me because I learned so much from them. Angel and Hector (Ruvalcaba) still train here so I get to hang out with them inside and outside of the pool. When all the former Aggies come and we get together, it’s so nice to see them. They’re great people.”

What are you studying and what do you plan to do with your degree after graduation?

I’m a supply chain major. I have two minors, sport management and economics. What I want to do is get a job in either Dallas, Austin or Houston because there’s a lot of my old teammates that live there. I also want to travel. I want to travel the world. I love traveling.”

At what age did you realize your passion for swimming and want to stick with it?

“I started swimming because when I was a kid, I lived in Guadalajara and then moved to Mexico City with my parents. In Guadalajara, I was in sports like swimming, gymnastics, soccer, tennis and track. When I moved to Mexico City, my mom wanted me to continue playing sports but there weren’t a lot of options. There was a soccer team near my house and my mom wanted me to train in soccer, but I was too young for the team. The only sport I could really do was swimming, so I started swimming and began competing at eight years old. I was starting to win events and I really liked that feeling. I thought it was funny to be moving through the water to beat the person next to you. I just kept getting better and my coach told me to try out for the team which led to me getting more involved and competing at nationals. I just loved the feeling of racing others and just being the best version of myself I can be.”

Breaststroke is the slowest and most difficult stroke in most cases, when did you know realize how good you were at it?

“It’s definitely one of the weirdest. I started swimming as a backstroker. But now I have really long legs. People tell me I’m built like a frog, so my legs really help me with the breaststroke kick. I have that flexibility with my long legs, so I think that gives me an advantage. I think my chest also helps a lot with breaststroke.”

What’s your least favorite stroke or set in practice and why?

“Backstroke. I hate it. It’s so hard. I don’t know how to explain it. You have to keep your core and abs pretty tight the whole time and I just die. I don’t know how to swim it. It’s just too hard.”

Have you ever lost your goggles during a race?

Oh yeah, especially when I was a kid and didn’t know how to put them on properly. It hasn’t happened to me in a big race, but it would make me slower since you can’t see anything.”

What was one of your favorite places you traveled with the team for a meet?

“There’s a couple but I really like traveling for SECs. The SECs are my favorite meet out of everything. I really love the environment and how close everything gets. My favorite trip was going to Boston my freshman year. It was really fun, and I got to know everyone a lot better, being more fluent in English and being around them every day.”

Do you have any pre-race rituals you must do before every swim? Or specific songs you listen to?

“I listen to a lot of Spanish music like Reggaeton, Bad Bunny, or Daddy Yankee. I just love dancing and hanging out with friends so when I’m at a meet, I just want to have fun. I don’t want to get in my head wondering if I’ll swim badly. I just want to enjoy the moment, so I put my headphones on and play some music to put me in the right mindset to perform.”