Last year, the womens swim and dive team placed fifth at the 3A State Championships. This year, they stole the State title.

But they walked away from the meet as more than winners: they’re record-breakers as well.

If setting the KingCo record for the 400 relay, winning the District 3 2A meet, and swiping the 2A State title weren’t enough, the ladies of Liberty’s swim and dive also secured several new meet records in the 200 medley relay and 400 free relay at State.

Team captain Mackenna Briggs set a state record of 55.65 seconds in the 100 fly, taking the title of Swimmer of the Meet for State.

Though the switch from 3A to 2A has indisputably given more team members the opportunity to go to Districts and State, the team’s achievements come down to more than just numbers.

“We’ve had a huge number of freshmen on the team this year,” Briggs said. “A lot of them participated in the summer swim team, so they had that foundation.”

A junior and State champion in the 500 free, Ellie Hohensinner also acknowledged the value of having a larger freshman turnout.

“Having more freshmen has really helped out during the relays,” Hohensinner said. “It gives other team members a break to focus on their individual events.”

The womens swim team won all three of its relays at the State championships.

But the victories of the womens swim team come down to more than the switch to 2A and a lot of strong-swimming freshmen. According to captain and 200 free State champion Cecilia Nelson, the hard work and can-do attitude of swim has made for one of its most successful seasons yet.

“We’ve tried to cultivate a positive spirit,” Nelson said two Saturdays ago before the State meet. “I believe that we can place.”
And they did, and much more.