Tracy Caulkins

In 1981, Caulkins entered the University of Florida, where she majored in communications and trained harder in anticipation of the Summer Olympics in 1984. She won 12 NCAA Championships between 1982 and 1984. In 1982 and 1984, she won the Honda Broderick Cup, given to the nation's outstanding female college athlete. In 1982, 1983, and 1984, she also won the Broderick Award, given to the best female college swimmer.

While competing for her college team, Caulkins continued to compete nationally and internationally. In 1982, she won her 36th title, surpassing Johnny Weismuller's record for national titles. At the U. S. Swimming Long Course National Championships in 1982, she won the 200-meter medley, and at least two other events. Caulkins did not do as well at the World Championships, where the highest she finished was third. In 1983, she won the individual medleys at the Pan American Games, but her times were slower than in the past. She also did not do well at the World Championships, winning neither gold nor silver medals.

By 1984, although there were doubts about Caulkins's ability to win in big competitions, she proved them wrong. At the NCAA (National Collegiate Athletic Association) competitions that year, she won both of the individual medleys, the 100-yard breaststroke, and the 200-yard butterfly. With other members of the 400-meter freestyle relay team, she set an American record, and set an NCAA record in the 800-yard relay with other team members. Caulkins also set records in the 200-meter individual medley, the 400-meter individual medley, the 100-meter breaststroke, and the 200-meter butterfly. She also did well at the National Indoor Championships where, despite an infection, she won the 200-meter individual medleys.