What's Next for our Seniors?

As we congratulate the class of 2013, we wish them the best of luck as they leave Whitman and continue their pursuits elsewhere!

Kevin Dyer: English Major; Carson City, Nevada.  Kevin is neck-deep in the job search, trying to find a position in Admissions at a college in the Northwest.  He and his Fiance, Brianna-- another 2013 Whitman grad--are getting married this summer.

Paul Chang: Chemistry Major; Carson City, Nevada.  Paul will spend next year working for a non-profit clinic while he applies to Medical School.

Tyler Hurlburt: Chemistry Major; Walla Walla, Washington.  Tyler will be starting to work on his PhD in Physical Chemistry at UC Berkeley next September.

Andrew Roehrig: Biochemistry, Biophysics and Molecular Biology; Redmond, Washington.  Andrew is going to spend next year working for PATH, a Gates Foundation-funded health technologies nonprofit, while he continues the Medical School application process.

Galen Sollom-Brotherton: Studio Art and Art History Major; Dublin, California.  Galen transferred to Whitman as a Sophomore academically and a Junior in swimming eligibility and will be graduating from Whitman next year. 

Libby Arnosti: Environmental-Studies/Humanities Major; St. Paul, Minnesota.  Libby is sticking around Walla Walla next year and will be working as the Whitman Varsity Athletics Social Media and Electronic Communications Intern.  

Sara Behrens: Biology Major; Seattle, Washington.  Sara is planning on working in either a hospital or physical therapy practice while she applies for Physical Therapy school next year.
 

Katie Chapman: Geology Major; Kirkland, Washington.  Katie has an internship with the United States Geological Survey in Palo Alto, California, working at the San Andreas Fault Observatory at Depth.

Cari Cortez: Politics/Environmental Studies Major; Moses Lake, Washington.   Cari is returning to Moses lake for the summer and is looking for a job in economics or law.

Charlotte Graham: Biology Major; Mercer Island, Washington.  Charlotte is hoping to find a job working in Japan doing something in the biology field.

Helen Jenne: Math and Psychology Major; Shoreline, Washington.  Helen is studying math in Budapest, Hungary, next fall through spring.  She plans on applying to PhD programs in math while she is abroad.

Erin Kiskaddon: Biology Major; Richmond, California.  Erin is going to be working for a biologist next year, helping him write a book about the behavior of marine animals.  

Genay Pilarowski: Biology Major; Arcata, California.  Genay will be moving to Baltimore at the end of August where she will be starting to work towards her PhD in Human Genetics at Johns Hopkins  School of Medicine.

Rebecca Ryle: Math/Economics Major; Santa Cruz, California.  Rebecca is planning on moving back to Santa Cruz where she is hoping to find a job working in the financial sector.   

The Seniors at the 2013 Awards Banquet.  Congratulations!

The Class of 2013

In September, 2009, we welcomed 14 additions to the Whitman Swim Team.  Now, four seasons and countless hours of schoolwork later, we will watch on Sunday as the class of 2013 walks across the stage to receive their diplomas and officially become Whitman Swimming Alums--thus entitling them to the use of fins, paddles, early take-offs, mid-pool flip turns, and any other means of cheating in which they feel like engaging in at next October's alumni meet.  There is no question that without this class of swimmers Whitman would not be the team it is today.  Their impact and legacy will live on for years to come.

Here is an overview of all the individual record-breaking performances from the class of 2013 over the years:

• In 2010, Freshman Kevin Dyer broke school records in the 500 freestyle with his time of 4:42.42 and the 1000 freestyle with his time of 10:03.46.
• At the 2011 NWC Championships, the class of 2013 was responsible for 7 more individual school records: Katie Chapman won the 100 fly with a 57.44 and won the 200 IM in 2:09.79.  Katie also won the 200 butterfly at the 2011 NWC Championships and ranks 2nd all-time at Whitman in 200 IM and 200 fly, and still holds the school record in the 100 fly.  She was the NWC Championships Swimmer of the Meet in 2011. Paul Chang was second in the 100 and 200 breaststroke at the NWC Championships with school record times of 58.54 and 2:08.76;  Kevin Dyer lowered his records in the 500 and 1000 freestyle to 4:42.37 and 10:03.38; he also set a new school record in the 1650 with a 16:37.22.
• At the 2012 NWC Champs, Paul Chang lowered his school records in both the 100 and 200 breaststroke events, getting second in both, with times of 58.20 and 2:06.82. Genay Pilarowski set a school record in the 100 breaststroke with a third-place effort of 1:06.61. Helen Jenne reset school records in two sprint freestyle events with times of 24.41 in the 50 and 53.31 in the 100 freestyle.  Galen Sollom-Brotherton also joined the team in the 2011-2012 season and set school records in the 500 freestyle (4:30.02), 1000 freestyle (9:28.24), 1650 freestyle (15:35.53) and 400 IM (3:59.24).  He won the 500, 400 IM and 1650 at the 2012 NWC Champs and qualified for NCAA DIII Nationals.  He was the 2012 NWC Swimmer of the Meet.  Galen placed 10th in the 500 freestyle and 8th in the 1650 freestyle at the 2012 NCAA DIII National Championships.
• Finally, in 2013 at the NWC Championships, Paul Chang lowered his breaststroke records yet again, achieving NCAA B cuts in both and winning an NWC Title in 100 with times of 57.53 in the 100 and 2:06.36 in the 200.  Genay Pilarowski also achieved an NCAA B cut in the 200 breaststroke and ranks second all-time at Whitman in the event with her time of 2:24.04.  Galen reset his own school records in the 500 (4:27.47), 1000 (9:21.73), and 1650 freestyle (15:34.00).  He also set a school record in the 200 freestyle (1:40.88).  Galen placed 2nd in the 500 freestyle at the NCAA DIII National Championships, and 7th in the 1650.  

On top of these fantastic individual achievements, the class of 2013 was hugely important in continuing to improve upon the values that Whitman Swimming holds so dearly: hard-work, being good teammates, and always striving to improve without losing touch of how fun it is to swim.  Put simply, they kept Swim Team Love going strong.  

We will miss each of our graduating seniors dearly as we move into the 2013-2014 season but we wish them all the best and can't wait to see them at the alumni meet next October!  Congratulations class of 2013!

Awards Banquet

Yesterday was the 2013 Varsity Athletics Banquet and Swimming Banquet.  Before we joined the rest of Whitman's Varsity Athletic teams in for a celebration of the accomplishments of Whitman Athletics in the past season, we gathered at the pool to sign all of our broken records and then had our own dinner and awards banquet. 

Here are pictures of many of this year's record breakers holding their broken records

Elise Tinseth ('16) holding the 400 IM record, the oldest record broken last season

Cameo Hlebasko ('16) broke the 200 backstroke record

Nic Win ('15) broke the 200 IM and 200 Backstroke records

Paul Chang ('13) beat his own records in the 100 and 200 Breaststroke

Karl Mering ('15) broke all four of last season's records: 100 and 200 fly, 50 and 100 free

Galen Sollom-Brotherton ('15) set four records as well: 200, 500, 1000, and 1650 freestyle

Sam Starr ('16) beat Kevin O'leary ('15) in the 100 backstroke this year

The Men's 400 Freestyle Relay broke a school and NWC record

The Men's 400 Medley Relay

Claire Collins ('14) with her three records: 100 and 200 breaststroke and 200 IM

The Women's 800 Freestyle Relay team

The Women's 400 Medley Relay team

The team looking their best before the Varsity Athletics Banquet

Team-Nominated Awards

The following awards were voted on by our swimmers

Most Inspirational: This award goes to the man and woman who inspire all of us to challenge ourselves no matter what adversity we might face.  The winners were: Ellen Banks and Keller Hawkins; and Tyler Hurlburt.

Most Improved: Tazi Flory; and Robby Dorn and Loic McGiverin.  Tazi stepped up in a big way this season as she was called upon to swim just about every event, including the 1650 at the NWC Championships.  Robby had never swam a 200 breaststroke before this season and then he got 5th at the NWC Championships and ranks 4th all-time at Whitman.  Loic made HUGE gains in the sprint freestyle events this year.  He's going to be a NWC title threat in the future...

STL Superstar: This award goes to the swimmer with the most Swim Team Love, the person who never stops cheering no matter what.  This year's winners were Rachael Barton and Colin Orr.

Land Shark: Given in recognition of commitment, intensity, and focus during dryland training.  This year's winners were Charlotte Graham, and Tyler Hurlburt.

Workout Warrior: These individuals gave everything they had at each practice, regardless of how tired, sore, or overwhelmed they were with academics.  This year's winners were Nic Win and Helen Jenne.

New Missionary: This award goes to the first-year Man and Woman who represent the values that Whitman Swimming is all about: hard-work, dedication, respect, sportsmanship, and a burning desire to get faster.  This year's winners were Robby Dorn and Kendra Clinton.

MVP: More than just swimming, the Most Valuable Player is a model student-athlete and teammate.  This year's winners were Claire Collins and Karl Mering. 

Coach's Award

The Coach's Award goes to the Man and Woman who work hard every day to make themselves the best that they can be and to make the team the best that it can be.  They are accountable, hard-working individuals who are reliably great teammates and who always lead by example.

This years winners: Nic Win and Jennifer Tornay

Varsity Athletics Awards

Each year, the Athletic Department nominates and votes for "Most Outstanding Performer" awards for each class year.  This year, six of our swimmers were nominated for MOP awards, and four of them won: 

Elise Tinseth: Most Outstanding Freshman Female Performer

Sam Starr: Most Outstanding Freshman Male Performer

Karl Mering: Most Outstanding Sophomore Male Performer

Galen Sollom-Brotherton: Most Outstanding Senior Male Performer

The Athletic Department also nominates and votes for a Senior Man and Woman who they feel best represent what it means to be a student-athlete at Whitman College.  The names of recipients of the award, titled the Borleske Award, are etched onto a trophy in the Whitman Athletics Hall of Fame in Sherwood Athletic Center. The last male swimmer to receive this award was Clint Collier in 2008.  This year, we are proud to say that our own Senior, Kevin Dyer, is the recipient of the Borleske Award. 

Though not everyone on our team was recognized at last night's events, everyone on our team did a fantastic job this season.  I can't say how proud I am to be associated with this group of individuals.  This was without a doubt the most successful Whitman Swimming has ever been.  Thank you to everyone on the team for making my job so rewarding and fun; to Jamie, Robert, and Hise for being the extra coaches we so often need.  Without you three, we wouldn't have achieved what we did this year.  To our Whitman Swimming Parents--past and present--for your unceasing support and passion for this team.  To all of our Alumni for laying the groundwork for what happened this year; and to all the other fans of Whitman Swimming who helped make this season such a huge success!

Looking Forward

At the NCAA Men's DI National Championships, a breaststroker from the University of Arizona swam a 100 breaststroke in 49.56 as part of his team's National Champion 400 medley relay.  The day before, a swimmer from USC split a 17.86 in a 50 freestyle as the third leg of his team's 200 freestyle relay. 

Swims like these provoke two responses: awe and inspiration; and hopelessness.

As much as I don't like to admit it as a coach, the next groundbreaking swim (I'm guessing for the Men that means cracking :40 in the 100 freestyle, or 1:30 in the 200 freestyle and for the women, breaking 1:40 in the 200 freestyle or 4:30 in the 500 freestyle) is not going to belong to a swimming on our team.  I wish that it would!  But unfortunately, as many talented and hard working people as we have on our team, none of them are going to be setting world records in the pool.  NCAA DIII National records?  Definitely a possibility!  Even though we probably won't be the team shattering world records and sending people the Olympics, we can still think and work like a team that does and choose to be inspired to continue to strive towards more great things rather than losing hope. 

I believe that we have a good enough team to send at least 10 people to Nationals next year.  The work that is being put in right now by our swimmers in the pool and weight room in preparation for next year is truly exceptional.  The odds are good that we don't have any future Olympians on our team but it's not stopping any of our swimmers from thinking and working like world-class athletes.  It's impossible to predict what is in store for us next year but it's certain to be another record-breaking year full of surprising swims and unprecedented success.  I can't wait until September 23rd and the first day of the 2013-2014 swimming season!

Swim Lessons!

Every year, during the Walla Walla Public Schools' spring break, the Whitman Swim Team offers swim lessons to the general public.  The week of swim lessons is an opportunity for us to raise some funds to put towards our winter training trip and a chance for our swimmers to put their knowledge of the sport to good use and to gain some perspective.
In a sport that so often boils down to 100ths of a second and the details of hand-entry, head position, and body alignment, it's easy to forget that at some point all of us were being told by an exasperated swim instructor to put our face in the water.  All of our swimmers have moved past holding onto the wall with both hands and blowing bubbles under the water, but there's something unique and awesome about getting a five year old to have a break-through in freestyle by telling him or her to imagine that he/she is swimming in ice cream and that he/she has ice cream scoops for hands. 

Nationals Recap

The 2013 NCAA DIII Nationals came to a close this evening but not before our Whitman swimmers had one more swim each.  Karl started the morning off with a great effort in his 100 freestyle.  His time of 45.72 was was his second fastest of the year, just missing his Conference and school record swim from the NWC Championships of 45.46.  As was the trend this year, it took a very fast 45.08 to make the top 16 and a 44.81 to make the top 8.  Claire swam the 200 breaststroke this morning with a very good time of 2:22.10.  She swam a very strong race but didn't quite match her NWC Championship effort. 

Galen had yesterday off to rest and prepare for this afternoon's 1650 freestyle.  Galen's race came at the end of this final morning session.  The men and women with the top 8 entry times swam the race at the beginning of the evening session.  Two things became clear as Galen got underway in his race: he wasn't going to hold anything back, and he was going to have a race on his hands.  Galen and Stevens Institute's Wesley Elford were within three seconds of one another for the duration of the race.  Galen was out in 4:38.77 at the 500 mark, and a new school record 9:21.73 at the 1000.  Galen led the race until the final 150 yards when Elford took control, eventually winning the heat and placing 5th overall.  Even though Galen finished second in his heat, his final time of 15:34.00 was a lifetime best, school record and Northwest Conference record, and fast enough for 7th place overall and his second All-American Award of the meet. 

In the end, Whitman finished 17th in the Men's team score with 56 total points. The  University of Wisconsin, Stevens Point, was 16th with 63.  On the Women's side, Claire Collins was responsible for the first points ever scored by a Whitman woman.  Her 5 points placed Whitman 47th in the team division, tied with the State University of New York, New Palz.

Here are the Quick Stats from the meet:

• 4 NCAA All-American awards, 2 for Karl and 2 for Galen, and one NCAA All-American Honable mention for Claire, the first All-American award for a Whitman women's swimmer
• Whitman's highest finish at an NCAA Swimming National Championship for our Men's team at 17th overall
• Whitman's first ever points scored by a woman swimmer from Claire's 12th place finish in the 100 breaststroke
• 4 more school records were broken, bringing the season total to 24
• Galen had the highest individual event finish in school history with his 2nd place effort of 4:27.47 in the 500 free
• Whitman set three new NWC records: Galen 500 free: 4:27.47; Karl 200 butterfly: 1:47.50; Galen 1650 free: 15:34.00

In the end, we had a phenomenal meet!  All of us are thrilled with the way things turned out.  We just wish that everyone could have been here with us for this awesome experience!  I feel extremely inspired by the experience and want nothing more than to give the rest of our Whitman swimmers the opportunity to compete at the National level.  Look out 2014 National Championships! 

Here are some photos form the day:

Jenn helping Claire with her cap before the 200 Breaststroke

Galen chilling before his 1650

Congratulations Galen, Claire, Jenn, and Karl

Galen getting his second All-American award

Day Three Recap

It was another exciting day in Texas!  Karl starting things off this morning with fantastic 200 butterfly to qualify him 5th for the finals of the event.  His prelims time of 1:48.37 lowered his own school and Conference record in the event.  Claire Collins then followed Karl's performance with an outstanding swim of her own, swimming a 1:04.87 to qualify her 14th for finals.

In finals, Karl put together a superb swim to get 3rd place overall with a time of 1:47.50 and lower his school and Conference record yet again!  In the prelims, Karl's first 100 split was 50.30, and his second 100, 58.07.  However, in finals, Karl led off with a more conservative first 100 yards, touching at 51.68 at the halfway point.  The energy he saved on the first half of the race turned into an explosive last 50 yards--the fastest final 50 yards in the top 8--that propelled Karl home with a 55.82 split on his second 100 yards, and ultimately a third place finish.  Karl also became an All-American for the second time this week.  His last 50 yards was foreshadowed by Galen's unbelievable come from behind finish in the 500 freestyle on Wednesday.  Galen's final 50 in the 500 was also the fastest in the top 8. 

Claire's final in the 100 breaststroke was also a come from behind effort!  After her great morning swim, Claire was fired up for finals!  And, just like Karl and Galen before her, she closed down the race with a phenomenal last 50 yards--tying the fastest split in her heat at 33.67--for a 1:04.57.  Her finals effort knocked another .3 off of her prelims swim and moved her from 14th to 12th place overall.  Her swim also made Claire the first Whitman woman to become an All-American Honorable Mention!  That's 4 All-American awards so far!

Galen had the day off today but will swim the 1650 tomorrow at the end of the morning session.  Galen is seeded 10th in the event and will be swimming in lane 5.  The top 8 qualifiers will swim at the beginning of the finals session and because the event is a timed final, meaning that it is only swum once by each athlete rather than prelims-finals format, it doesn't matter whether an athlete swims in the morning or evening.  Karl starts the morning off in the first event, the 100 freestyle.  Finally, Claire will swim the 200 breaststroke tomorrow as well. 

Prelims start at 10am central time!  Keep checking the Twitter @WhitmanSwimming for results!

Now here are some fun pictures from today!

Keller and Claire.  Thanks for the support Keller!

Karl getting his trophy!

Galen makes sure Karl gets dried off for his award

Claire and the scoreboard.  12th place!

Karl and Jenn celebrating All-American no. 2