NATCHEZ — When Marilyn Truly West began swimming at age 6, she never expected it to take her where it did.

But after a star-studded career at Delta State, West is finding out just how far the pool can take her — to the Delta State Sports Hall of Fame.

West, a 1993 Cathedral graduate, will be inducted into the Delta State Hall of Fame in a ceremony tonight in Cleveland.

“This is a big honor and accomplishment,” West said. “In some sports like basketball they induct a man and a woman each year, but in swimming, they only induct one person, so that makes it ever harder to get inducted. I’m real excited and happy to make it.”

West’s induction to the hall of fame is no surprise, seeing that she won numerous awards and honors during her Delta State career from 1993-1997.

West was the New South Intercollegiate Swim Conference Champion in the 200-yard butterfly and 200-yard individual medley events, was a four-time all-conference swimmer and was the conference’s most valuable swimmer in 1997.

In addition to her swimming accomplishments, she was also an outstanding student, being named to the NSISC Academic All-American team all four years at school.

But she said her greatest accomplishment came after her senior season, when she was named the Charles S. Kerg Senior Female Athlete of the Year.

“That award goes to just one male and one female out of all the sports teams at the university,” West said. “They look at your sports accomplishments, academics and activities on campus when giving the award.”

West, the daughter of Richard and June Truly of Natchez, currently lives in Olive Branch where she works as a speech pathologist at nursing homes in Memphis and Byhalia.

And there might be another great swimmer in the family, as West gave birth nine months ago to her first child, a son named Eli.

““I definitely want to get him into (swimming),” West said. “Whenever I take him anywhere he kicks his legs and everyone says they guess he’ll be a swimmer like me.”