Conference was so amazing that I think we all had trouble putting it into words so here are a few pictures taken by the team instead!

Final Dual Meets Completed!

Walla Walla to Tacoma is a long trip for one day but we made it there and back and had a good meet in the middle. It was great to see all the parents, siblings and friends who showed up. I think we might have had more fans than the UPS swimmers! Lauren Flynn was solid again in all of her races, consistently putting up good times and a lot of heart. Jamie Nusse touched out two swimmers to win the 200 free in an exciting race and helped the men's 400 free relay rally to win the final event. Our two distance freshmen, Linnea Scott and Chris Bendix performed well(with their parents watching) and had great wins in the 1500. Both had good swims despite the mental challenge of the extra 6 feet on every length. As usual, they just got stronger as the race got longer!

College of Idaho, a non-conference team came to Walla Walla for our last home meet of the season and the last dual meet of our 6 seniors careers. The meet was a double win and an all-around great way to end the dual season. Ysbrand Nusse, Courtney Fitzpatrick, Noel Sollom-Brotherton, and Max Hennings are all 4-year members of the swim team and their presence will definitely be missed next year. It's great to see how their leadership and maturity have developed over their swimming careers at Whitman and the positive impact they have on their teammates. Vanessa Johnson, a transfer, has become an integral part of the team after only one season and her enthusiasm will certainly be missed as well. Chance Gray, currently our team manager, has stayed dedicated to and involved with the swim team despite injuries that prevented him from swimming. His experience and contributions outside the pool are very appreciated.

With everyone excited about taper and Conference it can be hard to stay focused during the last few dual meets after we get back from Claremont but everyone pulled out a lot of moxie this weekend. Kevin McCoy, Jeff Sterrit, and Sam Couey all had season or lifetime bests. George Stanton swam another great breaststroke race from the outside lane and Monica Boshart continued to chip away at her

breaststroke time with a win for the women. Katie Tackman had a breakthrough swim in the 500 and Chelsea Klinger finally got some good races together after struggling with injuries earlier in the season. She had a very solid race in the 1650 and a season best by 2 seconds in the 100 Back. For most of the team, this dual meet was a great confidence builder for Conference and a fantastic end to our dual meet season!

2008-2009 Season on a Roll!

With just three weeks before Conference Champs and only two dual meets left, the 2008-09 season has been exciting and the best is still to come!


The Claremont trip was a raging success with amazing sunshine and fun. In the midst of increasing yardage and intensity, we still found time for a beach day and lots of hot tub time. It was especially welcome to put on shorts and sunscreen after the unusually heavy snow in the Northwest. Most importantly, the training level we achieved will carry us through Conference!

The men's team has continued to improve over the season and have already had some fantastic dual meet performances from individuals and relays. Ysbrand Nusse, Jamie Nusse, and Noel Sollom-Brotherton have had consistently excellent races this season capped with a school record in the 200 backstroke for Noel in our dual against Whitworth! However the depth of the team has been the most impressive aspect to watch this season. There have too many good races to name! Freshmen Mitchell Lee, Matt Liedtke, Matt Rowett and Chris Bendix have all added to the team with both their work ethic in practice and their great swimming at meets. A close win against Linfield gave the Whitman men a fast start and they haven't looked back!

The women's team had several solid dual meets as well. With a slightly smaller squad this year the women have stepped up to take on more events and more pressure. The result has been greater versatility and lot of exciting new races. Lauren Flynn and Chelsea Klinger have led the women in races and have stepped up to new leadership roles as upper classmen this year. Senior Courtney Fitzpatrick continues to contribute solid swims to strong relays and positive practices. Our freshmen have already matured into stronger swimmers and teammates. Linnea Scott has been leading the distance lane while Monica Boshart takes on the breaststroke. Our junior class has been pivotal in leadership and racing. Captains Sidney Kohls, Kendi Thomas and Lauren, along with Chelsea and Jessie Neill have shaped the team with their attitudes and racing. With Kendi Thomas' return from study abroad in Costa Rica, she will hopefully add some strong races at conference for the team.

Our last two dual meets of the year UPS (in Tacoma, 5pm) and College of Idaho (home, 3pm) will wrap up our regular season and we hope to see some friends and family! As College of Idaho will be our last home meet, we will briefly honor our seniors for their contributions to the team before the meet. It's always hard to say good-bye!

Thanks for your support of Whitman swimming!