From Howard County to Norway, Towson star swimmer Brian Benzing chases All-American dreams

BALTIMORE -- Towson University has one of the top swimming teams in the Mid-Atlantic.

Brian Benzing, one of the Tigers' top performers, has had a journey that was more than just a drive around the Beltway.

The Howard County native is preparing to swim in three events at the NCAA Championships in Indianapolis later this week.

Benzing is one of Towson's most decorated swimmers who found success after taking a detour that led him 3,600 miles away.

He admits to not taking the sport seriously growing up, but that changed after his sophomore year at Wilde Lake High School when his family left Ellicott City  for Oslo, Norway where his dad started a new job.

"We were all excited, like that's going to be awesome living in a different country," Benzing told WJZ. "And then when the day came that we found out, it was really sad because it meant we have to leave all our family, all of our friends, and we are going to a country where we don't know anybody."

Benzing said the first month or so was difficult.

But once he started to make friends and join the swim team, the transition was easier.

"I ended up loving it so much," Benzing said. "It was the best three years in terms of academics and athletics and changing the trajectory of my life."

Benzing returned to Maryland as a better swimmer and a broader perspective on life.

For the past two seasons at Towson, he was the Men's Swimmer of the Year in the Coastal Athletic Association.

"Norway gave me a different view on everything, the world, just a whole different cultural perspective," Benzing said.

"He is somebody because of that world experience," Towson coach Tony Bruno said. "He is so outgoing and willing to meet people from different backgrounds  and different places, and I think it serves him well. He is good at communication and he is good at pulling people together."

During his Towson swimming career, Benzing has expanded his range of events in order to help the team succeed, which was a move that made him a better all-around swimmer.

"I want to get the most out of my swimming career. I don't want to stop," Benzing said. "I want to go as far as I can."

Benzing's next move isn't back to Norway but to Indiana University, a national power in collegiate swimming, where he will transfer as a graduate student.

But first, he seeks All-American status as a Towson Tiger at the NCAA Championships.