The Womens Varsity Swim Team made a comeback for the 2023-2024 season, winning first place at 5A Regionals after it was canceled last year. At states, the team finished 13th, their highest finish since moving to 5A – and two new school records were created, along with five personal bests.
Senior Captain Alison Ludeman broke a school record in the 50-meter freestyle (24.47) at states and helped set two relay records (the 200 Freestyle Relay and 200 Medley Relay). She said she is proud of how well she did, especially after overcoming foot and inflamed lung injuries at the beginning of the season.
“It was pretty difficult because I had to kind of just sit there and watch practices,” she said, “and I just wanted to be the best I can be.”
Coach Kelley French, who has coached the girl’s swim team for two years, said the freestyle relay team’s determination to become better swimmers is what won them first place in that event at states.
“They want to be there, so it does not take a lot of coaxing because they want to do it,” she said. “They’re always asking: ‘What did I do? How was my turn? How can I correct it? Always, [they are asking] how to become better swimmers.”
Another source of motivation was Coach French and Boy’s Swim Coach Jay Preslar’s promise that the team could push them into the water if they won regionals.
“[I told them] yes, you can throw me in, because that would be totally worth it, as regionals were canceled last year,” she said. “The [experience of being pushed into the pool was] a wonderful experience. The energy was just so high and extreme. You can not ignore it.”
Sophomore Samantha “Sammy” Riley, who swims freestyle and has been on the swim team for two years, said her greatest accomplishment during the 2023-2024 season was moving lanes. Swimmers are placed in certain lanes based on their previous times in a particular event.
“I started out this season as the last person in the second lane. Now, I am in the middle of the first lane,” she said. “I dropped so much time in my events, and I would say at least half of the team did not believe how I did it.”
Sammy created two new school records at states. They include first place for the 200-free-style relay (1:42.28) and second place for the 200-medley relay (1:41.32).
Junior Madison Jacquemin who had a personal best in the 50-meter freestyle (25.87) and set a school record for the 100-meter backstroke (58.67) at states said this has been the best swim season she has had.
“I enjoyed it so much,” she said. “I had so much fun…there really weren’t any downs.”
