Bryant Bevers, a senior on the men's swimming team, has been named the Featured Student-Athlete of the Week on GoSeattleU.com for his consistent performance in the pool as well as his commitment to his studies and to service for the greater good.
Bevers, a native of Federal Way, Wash., finished third in both the 50 freestyle (22.43) and the 100 freestyle (49.35) this past weekend against Whitworth University. He also swam the third leg of the victorious 200 free relay quartet, helping to post a time of 1:27.39. At the Husky Invitational in the beginning of December, Bevers posted the team's second-fastest time in the 200 freestyle (1:45.97) and also helped his teammates post top times in both the 200 freestyle relay (1:24.19) and the 800 freestyle relay (6:56.82).
Last year, Bevers helped the 200 medley relay squad set a new school record at the NCAA Division II Championships, posting a time of 1:31.88 that broke the previous record he helped set during the 2007 PCSC Championships (1:32.65). He is a three-time Division II All-American and five-time honorable mention Division II All-American for his performances in the relay events. As a freshman, he swam in the 200 freestyle at the NCAA Championships, finishing in 34th place with a time of 1:45.06.
"Bryant has assimilated exceptional performance with sustainability and reliability throughout his collegiate swimming career at Seattle University. He is the type of leader that influences the masses with a quiet, diplomatic force and is revered by coaching staff and swimming peers alike," head coach Craig Mallery said.
Bevers is a accounting major with a minor in finance, presently carrying a 3.623 grade point average. He attended the NCAA Leadership Academy and is a member of the Seattle University Student-Athlete Advisory Committee. Bevers has helped the Seattle University swim program obtain several academic honors while making the transition to Division I status.
Bevers will be one of the seniors honored during the team's final home meet of the season this Saturday, Jan. 17, as Seattle University hosts regional rival Simon Fraser at the Connolly Center pool beginning at 1 p.m. He will then prepare to help the squad at the Pacific Collegiate Swim Conference Championships in Long Beach, Calif., in February.
The athletic department will name a Featured Student-Athlete each week based on a student-athlete’s performance both in athletic competition and in the classroom. The department is presently in Year One of the reclassification process towards moving up to NCAA Division I status.