2011-12: Ranked first on Northwestern's top times list in the 100 fly, third in the 200 fly and fourth in the 100 back ... CSCAA Scholar All-America honorable mention ... Academic All-Big Ten ... Norhtwestern's Lisa Ishikawa Award winner at the annual N Club Senior Induction banquet ... Swam the butterfly leg in NU's top medley relays ... Swam a career-best and NCAA `B' cut of 54.19 in the 100 fly to finish 10th at the Big Ten Championships in that event ... That swim tied her for second on NU's all-time top times list in the event ... Also scored points in the 200 fly at the Big Ten meet, swimming a career-best and NCAA `B' time of 2:00.30 in the prelims before turning in a 12th-place 2:00.86 in the consolation final ... Earned NCAA `B' cuts with both medley relays at the Big Ten Championships, swimming the second-fastest 200 medley time and the fifth-fastest 400 medley time in school history ... Also competed individually in the 50 free (58th) at the conference meet ... Finished first or second (with one third) in every dual-meet 100 fly event, including four victories ... Had 12 total top-three dual meet finishes ... Earned runner-up points in the 100 fly at the eight-team TYR Invitational (11/19) ... Finished fifth in the 200 fly at the TYR (11/20) ... Qualified for the TYR Invite consolation finals in the 50 back and 100 back, finishing 10th and 11th, respectively.
2010-11: Ranked first on NU's top times list 100 fly and fourth in the 200 fly ... Swam with the Wildcats' top 400 medley relay, earning an NCAA `B' cut at the Big Ten Championships with the second-fastest time in school history ... Big Ten Distinguished Scholar ... Academic All-Big Ten ... Scored points at the Big Ten meet with a 15th-place finish in the 100 fly ... Swam a career-best 2:02.59 to take 28th in the 200 fly at the conference meet ... Earned a dual-meet victory in the 100 fly against Purdue while also swimming a career-best 2:02.80 to finish second in the 200 fly on 11/5 ... Had eight other top-3 dual-meet finishes ... Earned three championship heat appearances in all three butterfly distances at the TYR Invitational (11/19-11/21), taking third in the 100, sixth in the 200 and seventh in 50 ... Also qualified for the bonus final in the 500 free at the TYR.
2009-10: Owned Northwestern's top 100 fly time of the year, a 55.47 at the OSU Last Chance Meet (2/28) ... That swim placed her No. 8 on NU's all-time top performers list in the event ... Turned in a 55.00 during the prelims at the Big Ten Championships (2/19) ... Ended up 13th in the 100 fly at the Big Ten meet after a 55.27 in the consolation final ... Also competed in the 200 fly at the Big Ten Championships, placing 25th overall with a 2:03.73 (2/20) ... Swam a then-career best 55.21 in the 100 fly at the TYR Invitational (11/21), good for second place at the meet ... Was fifth-fastest for the Wildcats in the 200 fly on the year, taking third at the TYR (11/22) with a then-career-best 2:03.67 ... Swam the butterfly leg on Northwestern's top 400 medley relay of the year, earning an NCAA `B' cut with a 3:41.20 at the Big Ten Championships (2/17) ... Finished first in the 100 fly during dual meets with Purdue (11/7) and Wisconsin (11/13) ... Had nine other top-3 dual-meet race finishes on the year.
2008-09: Ranked third on Northwestern's top times list for the year in the 100 fly ... Swam with NU's top 800 free relay, which earned an NCAA `B' cut at the Big Ten Championships and finished the year ranked third on NU's all-time top-10 list in the event ... Cut 3.5 seconds off her season-best time with a 1:49.66 in the 200 free at the BoilerMakeIt meet on March 1 ... Earned a second swim at the Big Ten Championships in the 100 fly, finishing 24th overall ... Also swam individually in the 200 fly and 500 free at the Big Ten meet ... Qualified for the consolation finals at the TYR Invitational in the 50 fly, 100 fly, 200 fly and 500 free ... Had five top-three dual-meet finishes, including second-place efforts in the 200 fly against Illinois-Chicago (11/15) and in the 100 fly at Iowa (1/24).
High School: Six-time All-American ... Three-time Alaska High School Swimmer of the Year ... Eight-time state champion ... Holds 16 Alaska state records ... Four-time high school MVP and letterwinner... Led team to third-place finish in state ... Swam seven years for Northern Lights Swim Club ... Competed in U.S. Open and Junior National qualifier ... Was USA Swimming Academic All-American ... Member of National Honor Society and honor roll ... Vice Chair Alaska Youth for Environmental Action ... Secretary for Alaska Swimming.
Personal: Born Meghan Rebecca Cavanaugh ... Daughter of Lisa and Mark Cavanaugh ... Chose Northwestern over Yale and California ... Double major in political science and environmental science.
CAVANAUGH'S PERSONAL BESTS
| Event | Personal Best |
| 100 butterfly | 54.19 |
| 200 butterfly | 2:00.30 |
| 200 free | 1:49.66 |
| 500 free | 5:00.57 |