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!