SEATTLE — The Seattle U women's swim team had a strong 2019-20 campaign which featured a number of record performances in addition to seven head-to-head victories.
The Redhawks began their head-to-head schedule with a win over Loyola Marymount in the home opener on October 18, before downing the Lions a day later in Federal Way. Seattle U closed the weekend at 2-2 as it fell twice to conference foe, Grand Canyon. Following the weekend meets, Danika Himes was named WAC Swimmer of the Week after notching a pair of top-five performances.
Seattle U then took to the road where it tallied four-consecutive head-to-head victories as it defeated Simon Fraser, took two from Alaska-Fairbanks and rolled past Puget Sound all before Thanksgiving.
The team then competed in the Husky Invitational in early December before heading to southern California for warmer weather and winter training. While there, the Redhawks swam an exhibition meet against Vanderbilt and San Diego State to close out 2019.
After a 22-day layoff, the Redhawks opened the 2020 slate at home as it hosted Whitworth. In their return to action, Seattle U had plenty to celebrate as it lampooned the Pirates winning 12 of 14 events outright. Prior to the meet, the team also celebrated the careers of seniors Julia Gorman, Darian Himes, Maddie Rapp, Margaux Thompson and Jayna Van Stone.
Seattle U finished its head-to-head schedule at 7-6 as it closed the regular season in bumpy fashion, dropping its last four, to Air Force, Northern Colorado and Idaho.
A major water main break in the City of Houston, had a significant impact on the WAC Championships resulting an altered event schedule. Despite the complications, the Redhawks put together a solid week finishing eighth. When all was said and done, freshmen Danika Himes and Tessa Oliver combined for four All-WAC honors. Oliver garnered her accolade in the 400 IM, while Himes was recognized in the 100 and 200 Breaststroke as well as the 200 IM.
The Redhawks finished the 2019-20 campaign with 21 top-10 performances, four more than the year before, with freshman Alexa Hoeper and junior Bryn Lasher each posting performances worthy of the top three. Hoeper earning second in the 200 backstroke (2:02.96) in the regular season finale against Idaho. Lasher meanwhile was three-tenths of second shy of the program-record in the 100 butterfly as she came in at 55.44.
Danika Himes led the team with four individual top-10 performances as she claimed fourth in the 100 and 200 breaststroke, 200 IM and eighth in the 200 backstroke. Himes was part of the 200 medley quartet that placed third-overall and the 400 medley team that claimed eighth.
Van Stone followed with three individual top performances which included a fourth in the 200 backstroke (2:04.77), sixth in the 200 freestyle (1:52.72) and seventh in the 500 freestyle (5:05.89). The senior was part of three relay teams that placed in the all-time top 10, including the 200 freestyle squad that earned third (1:35.26), the 400 freestyle quartet that earned fourth (3:28.02) and the 10th-overall 800 freestyle team (7:42.98).
In the classroom, the team continued to excel posting a combined GPA of 3.595, the second-best mark among the Redhawks' 18 teams.