Watch the video >>>
Vili Sivec didn’t know exactly what he was looking for when he first started searching for a college. What was known was that Cal State Bakersfield had swimmers from Croatia—people who spoke the language, understood the background and could help imagine a new home across the ocean. 

So Sivec reached out. “I just texted them, asked them how are things and if they think that it would be a good fit for me,” he said. Their responses painted a picture of a campus and a community that felt welcoming, grounded and supportive. That was enough for Sivec to take the next step to email the coaches. They replied quickly. Soon, conversations turned into plans, and those plans became a new beginning. 

When Sivec arrived in Bakersfield, everything felt unfamiliar. “It was a big change at first,” he said. “It took me at least two or three months to get used to everything.” But he wasn’t alone.  With time, the uncertainty faded, and Sivec found a rhythm—both in the classroom and in the pool. 

The senior from Zaboc, Croatia, has not only found a rhythm, but created a symphony of success while competing for the Roadrunners. First garnering 100 and 200 butterfly individual medalist honors with the MPSF in 2023 and 2024, Sivec continued the winning ways in The Big West, going back-to-back for Big West event titles in both distances while doing so in record-setting fashion. This March 25-28, Sivec will dive in the pool at the Georgia Aquatic Center and the NCAA Division I Men’s Swimming & Diving Championships, representing Cal State Bakersfield, The Big West and Croatia, pushing to keep improving stroke by stroke.  
   

   Finding His Stroke   

Long before Cal State Bakersfield, Sivec discovered the event that would become his signature. As a kid, Sivec spent summers swimming with his family. One day, his dad noticed something special. “My dad was just telling me, ‘I see you always at practice, you have a great butterfly stroke. Why don’t you show me how you do it?’” Sivec said. He did—and something clicked. “From that point on, I became better and better at it.” 

Years later, that early connection turned into a defining moment. “My most memorable race was breaking the national record for the 200 fly long course,” Sivec recalled. “When I broke the national record for that, I knew that, OK, this is something more serious now going on.” It was a turning point that set a new standard for himself—and for those around him. Sivec has since competed globally as a 2025 World Championships qualifier and participant as a  three-time Croatian national record holder (200m Butterfly, 4x100m Freestyle Relay, 4x200m Freestyle Relay). 
 

   Winning with Purpose   

At The Big West Championships, Sivec won gold in both the 100 and 200 fly in 2025 and 2026, resetting conference records along the way. The victories meant a great deal, but Sivec’s perspective remained grounded. “Winning is a great feeling, but winning is not everything,” he said. “When the race comes, you can probably stand behind that block and know that there’s absolutely nothing more that you could have done in practice to be better in that certain moment.” 

That mindset extends to how he views the records themselves. “I don’t really care for the records,” he said. “I just want to set the time that it’s gonna be pretty hard to beat. I just wanna see how fast I can push myself.” For Sivec, the goal isn’t the number—it’s the effort behind it. 
  

   Representing Two Homes   

Competing in the United States while representing Croatia adds another layer of pride. That drive to push his limits every day comes from gratitude for the earned opportunities. “There are a lot of people that would give absolutely everything to be in the position that I am,” Sivec said. “To do anything except trying and giving my best would, I feel, be very ungrateful. I just try to have that in mind and that's what's pushing me every day to be better than I am the day before.” 
 

   The Team That Pushes Him Forward   

For Sivec, the team at Cal State Bakersfield is a driving force. “I wouldn’t be able to do anything like this without them,” he said. “They’re for sure a big impact on me.” He embraces the daily competition in practice, knowing that being pushed by his teammates makes him better. “I’m not always the fastest one in practice, and I feel like that’s good,” he said. “I like the race. I wouldn't be able to do anything like this without the team.” 
 

   Confidence Built on Work   

When Sivec steps behind the blocks at major meets—whether it’s The Big West Championship or the World Championships—his mindset is calm. “I don’t really think about anything, really,” he said. “I’m just confident in the work that I’ve put in. If you keep working hard, pushing yourself every day, staying focused, it’s going to compound into a success, eventually.” 

That quiet confidence isn’t just for individual races. It shows up in relays, in practice and in the culture built among the CSUB swimming and diving team. “It was always their cheering and their support that won the race for me,” Sivec said. “There’s absolutely nothing like being able to race and then having the support that they provide for me.”  
 

   A Message Beyond the Clock   

As Sivec continues to chase new goals, he hopes to show something bigger than results. Success isn’t measured only in records or medals. It’s found in the mastering the little things, putting in the daily work, the belief in teammates and the commitment to keep getting better—one stroke at a time.