Biography

Shackley, who holds the state record in the 100-yard butterfly, smashed her own record to capture her fifth AA PIAA State gold medal. She has  total of eight PA State Medals, including six Golds.

Internationally, Shackley was the gold medalist in the 50-butterfly representing Team USA at the 2023 World Aquatics Junior Swimming Championships in Netanya, Israel.

Additionally, she is the record holder in 2 events in the PIAA history, 7 YMCA national records and four records at major Universities.

Shackley will compete in the 2024 Olympic Trials before heading to North Carolina State University in the fall.

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Community Service

Volunteer at local YMCA. Every morning I am up at my 97 year old neighbors house, feeding her horses and helping around the house.

Records

6x PIAA AA State Champion

Personal Honors

Will attend North Carolina State University

Biography

Curzan is not only an outstanding high school swimmer, but she’s already made a mark on the international scene.

After finishing 10th in the 100m butterfly at the Tokyo Summer Olympics as a 17-year old, Curzan returned to the high school pool to win her seventh and eight individual gold medals in February at the North Carolina High School Athletic Association 4A state championships. She won the 100 butterfly and 100 backstroke, which gave her gold medals in each event every year of her scholastic career.

Curzan’s 100 butterfly time was an American Record, and her 100 backstroke set a 17-18 National Age Group record.

In addition to her individual performance in Tokyo, Curzan won a silver medal after swimming in the preliminary of the women's 4×100 medley relay.

Curzan will swim collegiately at Stanford University.

Personal Honors

Attends Stanford University

Biography

Walsh closed-out her scholastic career with a national high school record at the TISCA Tennessee Girls State Swimming and Diving Championships earlier this year.

The University of Virginia-recruit established a national 100-meter backstroke record with a time of 51-point-35 seconds.

Walsh, who along with her sister led Harpeth Hall to Swimming World’s 2018 and 2019 national
championships, is a member of Team USA. At the 2018 Junior Pan Pacific Swimming Championships she won two golds medals — the 200-meter individual medley and the 400-meter freestyle relay.

After her freshman, sophomore and junior seasons, she was named the Tennessean’s girls’ swimmer of the year.

Professional Achievements

2020 Olympic Silver Medalist

Personal Honors

Attends the University of Virginia

Biography

Berkoff ended her scholastic career by setting two more records at the Montana state meet in the 100 backstroke and 100 freestyle.

Berkoff won 16 individual state titles during her career and never lost a race in her four years. She ranks 14th in the world in the 100 backstroke and she’s hoping to make the United States swim team for the 2020 Summer Olympics in Tokyo, Japan.

Berkoff’s dad, David, won four overall Olympic medals. As a senior, Berkoff was named the swimmer of the meet, setting new state records in both of her individual events. In the 100 freestyle, she won in 49.90 seconds, which broke her own record of 50.01 seconds that she set last season. In the 100 backstroke, she won in 52.40 seconds, which also broke her own record set last year in 52.80 seconds. In December, Berkoff a set Speedo Junior Nationals meet record in the 100- and 200-yard backstroke.  She also won the 100 freestyle and finished second in the 200 individual medley.

Berkoff made an immediate splash as a member of the Wolfpack. She recorded two ACC titles as a freshman.

Records

16x Montana State Champion

Professional Achievements

5x NCAA All American

World University Games Gold Medalist 100m Backstroke

Personal Honors

Attends North Carolina State University

Biography

Bartel closed out her incredible scholastic swimming career with four gold medals at the Class 5A Colorado Swimming and Diving Championships. She won the 200 IM in 1:59.17 and the 100 breaststroke in 1:00.47. She was also on two gold medal winning relay teams, including the 200-yard medley relay team that set a new national record at the state championships. Bartel and her teammates scored a state record 424 points to capture the school’s second straight state title and third in the last four years.

Bartel, who will attend Stanford University on a scholarship, swam in three events at the 2016 Olympic Trials. While she didn’t qualify for the Olympics, she did win two gold medals at the 2016 Junior Pan Pacs in Hawaii.

In her first two seasons at Stanford, Bartel was part of two Pac-12 championship teams and the NCAA Championship team as a freshman. As a sophomore, Bartel earned two All American honors in the 100 and 200 breaststroke.  She also was an All American as a freshman in the 100 breaststroke. Additionally, Bartel was a CSCAA Scholar All-American as a freshman. As a junior, she swam in three NCAA events.

Bartel gracefully retired from competitive swimming in the fall of 2021 to pursue her dreams outside of the pool.

Records

Multiple time State Champion

Professional Achievements

3x NCAA All American

Colorado Sports Hall of Fame Athlete of the Year

2017 Junior World Championships Gold Medalist - 200 Breaststroke

Personal Honors

Attends Stanford University

Biography

Like 2013 honoree Missy Franklin of Regis Jesuit High School in Colorado, Katie Ledecky ended her high school career with an Olympic Gold Medal.

As a 15-year old, Ledecky surprised the world by capturing the 800-meter freestyle gold at the 2012 Summer Olympics in London. She is the current world record holder in the 400-, 800-, and 1,500-meter freestyle (long course). She also owns the fastest-ever swims in the 500- and 1,650-yard freestyles.

Her high school career came to a close in February at the D.C Metros where she lowered her own national high school record in the 200 freestyle and obliterated her own American record in the 500-yard freestyle. Ledecky did attend Stanford beginning after the 2016 Olympic Games, where she would go on to win four more golds.

Keeping with the trend, Ledecky continued to set records and obtain accolades in her two seasons at Stanford. She was an eight time NCAA National Champion and a 12 time Pac-12 Champ. She concluded her collegiate career by holding six records and an additional three Stanford records.

Ledecky is still training and has her eyes set for the 2021 Olympic Games.

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Community Service

In January of 2020, Ledecky announced the launch of “Katie Ledecky’s Dive Into STEM Education powered by Panasonic.”

She stated, “I am committed to using my platform to inspire and make a difference, and one way I believe I can make an impact is through access and exposure to STEM education,” Ledecky said. “I am thankful to my partner Panasonic, who supports this initiative and shares my vision of empowering the next generation of students to have opportunities in these important disciplines.”

Records

Current world record holder in 400-meter, 800-meter and 1500-meter freestyles

Professional Achievements

5x Olympic Gold Medalist

15x World Gold Medalist

Personal Honors

Attended Stanford University

Biography

Janet Hu has been opening eyes in the sport since she was 12 years old when she broke her first national record in her age group. She closed out her high school career undefeated in individual high school competition by winning gold medals in the 50 freestyle and 100 fly that led her school to its third straight Virginia high school team championship.

Hu, who was the #2 recruit in the nation, will swim for Stanford University.  Hu is the first girls’ swimmer from Virginia honored by the NHSCA.

Hu’s success in the pool multiplied at Stanford. As a freshman, she was part of two NCAA Championship relay teams. She also earned All-America status in five events. Over the course of her career, Stanford claimed two NCAA Team Championships.

She finished her career as a 10- time NCAA National Champion. Additionally, she earned All America honors 25 times. She won 10 Pac-12 titles. Hu holds multiple records in the NCAA, National-wide, and Stanford’s record book.

Hu was also outstanding out of the pool. She was the Pac-12 Women’s Swimming Scholar Athlete of the Year as a senior. She was also named a CSCAA Scholar All-American.

Professional Achievements

10x NCAA National Champion

25x NCAA All American

Swam on 2 NCAA National Championship Teams

Personal Honors

Attended Stanford University

Biography

While Missy Franklin won America’s hearts at the 2012 London Olympic Games with four gold medals and a bronze, it was what she did in high school that really stands-out.

Franklin didn’t rest on her Olympic glory – instead she returned to Regis Jesuit to swim with her friends for her senior season. Franklin led here school to the Colorado 5A title, its second in three years.

In the pool, Franklin won two individual gold medals this year and two for her team’s 200 and 400 relay teams. while setting a national record in the 200-yard individual medley.

While Franklin is one of the greatest to come out of Colorado, she didn’t stop after being honored in 2013. Franklin swam two seasons at Cal Berkeley before turning professional. At the 2016 Olympic Games, she added another gold medal in the 4×200-meter freestyle.

Franklin serves as an ambassador for the Laureus Foundation to promote social change in regards to violence, racism and those disadvantaged through sports.

Professional Achievements

5x Olympic Gold Medalist

Personal Honors

Attended University of California, Berkeley

Biography

One of the most storied swimmers to come out of one of Colorado’s most storied programs, the 6-foot-2 Brandon went 4-for-4 in the 5A state championships, finishing her career with 14 titles – seven individual and seven in relays. She also won four events her freshman and sophomore years.

Brandon broke her own state records in winning the 200 individual medley and the 500 freestyle for the second time in her career, and also was a part of the Bruins’ state-record 200 freestyle relay performance in 2011. Her time of 1:59.09 in the medley was 2.8 seconds faster than the record she set in the preliminaries the previous day. And in the 500, her time of 4:43.52 beat the state record she set as a sophomore by more than eight seconds. Brandon also swam anchor legs to help the Bruins to a sweep of the 200 and 400 freestyle relays. She also owns titles in the 50 and 400 freestyle and the 100 backstroke.

The former national record holder in the 13-14 age group in the 200 backstroke, Brandon was the silver medalist at the Junior Pan-Pacific Championships in 2010 and at the Pan-American Games in 2011, finishing third in the USA Swimming National Championships. She is ranked fourth in the United States and 24th in the world in the event. Also an outstanding student with a 4.0 grade-point average, she will attend the University of Arizona.

While at Arizona, Brandon was a six time NCAA All American. She holds two school records in the 200 backstroke and 1,650 freestyle. She was also on the relay team who set a school record in the 800 freestyle relay. Outside of the pool, Brandon also made the Pac-12 All-Academic First Team her last three years.

Brandon battled through injuries after graduation until she stepped away from competitive swimming after the 2016 Olympic Trails. She enrolled in an accelerated nursing program at the University of Arizona.

Records

Won 14 State Championships - 7 Individual and 7 Relay Team Titles

Professional Achievements

6x NCAA All American

Set 2 Individual and 1 Relay Team School Records

Personal Honors

Attended the University of Arizona

Biography

Nicknamed “The Glendoranator” for her domination of her two current signature events, the 200 individual medley and the 100 breaststroke, Jacques completed a two-year sweep of the Southern Section (SS) Division 2 titles in both events, giving her a perfect 8-for-8 record in Division 2 individual finals, and also won SS Masters titles in both events.

She is ranked No. 1 among high school seniors in both events. Jaques was the SS Division 2 champion in the 50 and 100 freestyle her freshman and sophomore years, and the SS Masters champion in the 50 as a freshman.

As a junior, Jaques broke U.S. Olympian Janet Evans’ national high school record in the 200 individual medley – a record that had stood since 1988 – in the preliminaries, and in the finals, she set the all-time California high school record with a time of 1:57.91, breaking a nine-year-old record. She also set the Division 2 meet record in the 100 breaststroke (1:00.83).

She was the Swimmer of the Meet at the USA Swimming Short Course Junior Nationals in December, scoring a meet-high 94 points, and was honored by Sports Illustrated magazine in its Faces in the Crowd section in the Jan. 24 issue. A three-time San Gabriel Valley Tribune Swimmer of the Year, Jaques will attend the University of Texas.

While at Texas, she won eight Big 12 Championships over her career.  She was an NCAA All American and additionally received honorable mention All-American three times.

Records

Won multiple Championships

Professional Achievements

Named to CIF All-Decade Team

Personal Honors

Attended the University of Texas

Biography

A two-time Division 2 Girls Swimmer of the Year, Bos is a six-time individual state champion who owns four state records, three as an individual. She set the all-class record (54.05) in the 100 backstroke in 2008, her third state title in that event, and set two Division 2 state records in the same meet: 22.62 in the 50 freestyle, winning the first of two titles in that event, and 1:45.27 as part of the 200 medley relay.

Bos gave up a chance to become a four-time backstroke state champion to help her team earn more points.  She repeated as 50 freestyle champion and set another Division 2 record in the 100 freestyle (49.94), the second-fastest time in that event in state history, to help Holland earn state team runner-up honors. She competed in the backstroke at the 2008 U.S. Olympic Trials, finishing 38th among 122 competitors, and is the 47th fastest female in the world in the event.

The Detroit Athletic Club named Bos its Michigan Student Athlete of the Year, and she is just the second West Michigan recipient of the award in its 14-year history. She will attend Auburn University.

During her career at Auburn, Bos continued to add to her accolades. She was a 17 time All American. In 2011 she was named to the All-SEC Freshman team. She was also named to the All-SEC First Team her freshman and sophomore years. She also participated in the 2012 Olympic Trials in three events: 100 backstroke, 50 freestyle and 100 freestyle.

Records

6x Individual State Champion

Professional Achievements

17x NCAA All American

2x Olympic Trials Qualifier

Personal Honors

Attended Auburn Unviersity

Biography

Beck also was a national record-setter this year – for the second year in a row. She swam 1:56.45 in her signature event, the 200-yard individual medley, setting a state record for the third consecutive year. She broke the national record of 1:56.87 set by last year’s National High School Girls Swimmer of the Year, Michelle McKeehan of Greenwood (Ind.) Center Grove High.

Beck’s time of 1:57.41 in last year’s Class 5A state meet also was a national record until McKeehan broke it at her state meet. Beck’s time in the 100-yard backstroke (53.03) not only is also a state record, but the national public school record, and she is a two-time state champion in that event. Beck also swam the nation’s fourth-fastest time in the 100-yard freestyle in 2008 (49.54) and holds the Junior Pan Pacific Championships records in the 200 and 400 individual medleys. She will attend the University of California-Berkeley.

Beck was part of Berkeley’s 2009 NCAA National Championship team after a successful performance by the freshman. After the season Beck transferred to LSU and swam for the Lady Tigers.

Records

Set 3 state records during her high school career

Personal Honors

Attended University of California-Berkeley for a year before transferring to Louisiana State University

Biography

McKeehan became the fourth Indiana girl to become a four-time state champion in two different events. She set a national record for the second straight year in the 200 individual medley and also won her fourth title in the 100 breaststroke. She won the individual medley last season in 1:58.06, a national record that stood six days before Mary Beck of Austin Westlake High swam 1:57.74 and 1:57.41 on back-to-back days at the Texas state meet.

This year McKeehan swam 1:56.87 to reclaim the record. She won the breaststroke in 1:00.12 to break her own state record (1:00.23) set last year, and that time was just .52 seconds off the national record. McKeehan, who won the breaststroke in the Pan-American Games last summer, will join last year’s Senior Athlete of the Year, Lauren English of Montville (N.J.) High, at the University of Georgia next fall.

While attending the University of Georgia McKeehan was a four time NCAA Qualifier. She placed 6th in the 100 yard breaststroke in 2011.

In 2011 McKeehan took Bronze at the Pan Am Games held in Guadalajara.

Records

4x State Champion in two events

Professional Achievements

4x NCAA National Qualifer

Personal Honors

Attended the University of Georgia

Biography

English set two state records this year and became the first girl to win four Meet of Champions state backstroke titles and only the fourth girl to win a single event four times. She broke her own state record by swimming the 100-yard backstroke in 54.39 seconds, and also upset a three-time defending state champion to win the 50-yard freestyle in a state-record 23.11 seconds. English finished ninth in the 100-meter backstroke in the 2004 U.S. Olympic Trials and the next year she set the national high school record (1:02.17), a mark she broke (1:01.39) in the Morris County Championships this year. She will attend the University of Georgia.

Her freshman year as a bulldog she was named to the SEC Freshman Team. She missed her entire sophomore year due to injury but came back strong and was on the SEC Championship team. Her team placed second at the NCAA Championships in 2010.

 

Records

Only the fourth girl to win a single event four times in NJISAA history

Professional Achievements

9x High School All American

Biography

Clarke overcame three knee surgeries since the seventh grade and a season-long recovery from a sprained ankle to win her second consecutive Class 4A state titles in the 200 freestyle (1:52.02) and the 500 freestyle (5:01.58).

Clarke’s performance helped Sunnyslope win its first state team title. She continued to enhance her reputation as one of the nation’s top distance swimmers with victories in the 500, 1000 and 1650 freestyle at the Short Course Junior Nationals in March. Also an outstanding student, Clarke was honored this spring as a National Merit Scholar.

While at Harvard she qualified for the NCAA Championship all four years. Her senior year she earned All-American status with 16th-place time of 16:10.25.  As a senior she was honored with the Radcliffe Prize, which is given to the most outstanding senior female athlete.

Records

4x Arizona State Champion

Member of the State Championship team as a senior

Professional Achievements

4x NCAA National Qualifier

Honored as the Radcliffe Prize honoree as a Senior

CSCAA All-Academic First Team

Personal Honors

Attended Harvard University

Biography

Smith set state records in winning the 50-meter freestyle and the 100 backstroke as a senior, leading Dexter High to a runnerup finish in the Division II state tournament. She advanced to the finals in six events in the Spring Junior Nationals in March, led by finishes of third place in the 100 backstroke and fourth place in the 200 backstroke. Her other finishes: sixth (50 freestyle, 50 backstroke), seventh (100 freestyle) and 14th (50 butterfly). The 77 points she earned for her club, the Ann Arbor Swim Club, were the most earned by any senior female athlete in the competition and the fifth highest total overall.

Smith went on to swim for the University of Michigan. She was a three time All American and a a four- time Big Ten Champion.

Out of the pool and in the classroom, Smith excelled as well. She was a named Academic All-Big Ten Conference three times and four times as a U-M Athletic Academic Achievement awardee.

Records

Multiple time State Place Finishers

Professional Achievements

3x NCAA All American

4x NCAA Big Ten Champion

Biography

Jeffrey holds eight Florida individual high school titles and successfully made a transition after her sophomore season to move from only sprints to attempting the 200-meters, where she graduated with two state championships.

In the summer of 2004 Jeffrey won a gold medal in Athens.

In 2007, Jeffrey retired from swimming all together. In 2017 she was hired as the Head Coach of Cannonball Swim Club in Portsmouth, New Hampshire.

Records

8x State Champion

Professional Achievements

2004 Olympic Gold Medalist

Personal Honors

Attended University of Southern California

Biography

“Kara Lynn Joyce has put together the type of high school career that makes it clear that she has been and will continue to be a force on the women’s swimming scene,” said NHSCA executive director Bob Ferraro. “The NHSCA is proud to name Kara Lynn Joyce its National High School Senior Girls Swimming Athlete of the Year.”

Joyce capped a remarkable prep career by setting national records and winning Michigan state championships in both the 50-yard and 100-yard freestyle races. She set national standards by swimming 22.04 for the 50-yard sprint and 48.59 in the 100-yard event. A member of the 2002 U.S. National Junior Team, Joyce will also represent the United States at the 2003 Pan-American Games. She will attend the University of Georgia to further her academic and swimming careers.

Joyce was a three time Olympic team member competing in 2004, 2008 and 2012. While at the Olympics, she took Silver four times.

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Community Service

In 2017 Kara founded the LEAD Sports Summit for teenage girl athletes. Lead focuses on connecting female athletes with accomplished women in sports through their yearly summit and regional seminars. Learn more about LEAD by visiting www.LEADSportsSummit.com.

Records

Set national standards by swimming 22.04 for the 50-yard sprint and 48.59 in the 100-yard event

Professional Achievements

4x Olympic Silver Medalist

18x NCAA Champion

Personal Honors

Attended the University of Georgia

Biography

“Athletes like Mary Descenza are among the success stories produced in high school athletics today,” NHSCA executive director Bob Ferraro said. “She has worked extremely hard to develop her skills and has become one of the best swimmers not only in the state of Illinois, but the entire nation, and we are proud to be honoring her.”

Descenza set a national high school record (53.11) earlier this year in her specialty, the 100-meter butterfly, and is ranked No. 6 nationally in that event. She won her third state title this year to go along with a pair of state championships in the 200-meter freestyle. Also an established national and international veteran, Descenza finished fourth in the 100-meter butterfly in the FINA World Long Course Championships and second-, third-, and fourth-place finishes in the FINA World Short Course Championships this year.

She also competed in the 2000 Olympic Trials as a 15-year-old – the youngest competitor to qualify for the finals by six years – and finished sixth. She already has qualified for the 2004 Olympic Trials, and earned a scholarship to the University of Georgia. She competed at both the 2004 and 2008 Olympic Trials.

DeScenza became the first woman to win four consecutive NCAA Championships in the 200 yard butterfly. She also won the 100 yard butterfly her last two years. She was also legs on eight relay teams that won the NCAA’s as well. In addition, she was a 28 time All American.

After her senior season, DeScenza was a awarded the coveted Honda Award, which recognizes the most outstanding female college athletes from each of the 12 NCAA-sanctioned sports.

Records

4x State Champion in 100-meter butterfly

Professional Achievements

4x NCAA Champion in 200-meter butterfly

Won 14 NCAA Titles

28x NCAA All American

3x Illinois Swimmer of the Year

Personal Honors

Attended the University of Georgia

Biography

“Athletes like Kaitlin Sandeno are among the success stories produced in high school athletics today,” NHSCA executive director Bob Ferraro said. “She has worked extremely hard to develop her skills and has become one of the best swimmers not only in the state of California, but the entire nation, and we are proud to be honoring him.”

Sandeno is a seasoned national and international veteran, earning an Olympic bronze medal last summer in the 400-meter freestyle. She also competed in the Olympic Games in the 400-meter individual medley, finishing fourth, and in the 200-meter butterfly, finishing sixth.

At the USA Swimming Championships, she won the 200 butterfly and the 400 individual medley, and finished second in the 400 freestyle. She was selected as the National Athlete of the Year by SchoolSports.com.

Sandeno attended the University of Southern California, where she won the US National Championships in the 200-meter butterfly in 2003. She also won the 200 and 400 meter individual medley.

In 2004, Sandeno was an Olympic Team Member claiming another 3 medals in Athens. She took the Bronze in the 400-meter Freestyle and Silver in the 400 Individual medley. She also won the Gold in the 4×200 meter relay where the relay team broke the seventeen year old world record.

Sandeno retired from swimming in 2008.

Professional Achievements

4x Olympic Medalist

Personal Honors

Attended the University of Southern California

Biography

McLarty was the Florida Class 3A state champion in the 200-meter individual medley and finished second in the 500-meter freestyle in 2000. A versatile athlete, she also qualified for the state championships every year in cross country and track in addition to swimming, earning All-State honors in cross country. In high school, McLarty qualified for the Junior Nationals in five events and the Senior Nationals in three events. She was also is a four-time National Iron Kids Triathlon champion.

“Athletes like Sara McLarty are among the success stories produced in high school athletics today,” NHSCA executive director Bob Ferraro said. “She has worked extremely hard to develop her skills and has become one of the best swimmers not only in the state of Florida, but the entire nation, and we are proud to be honoring her.”

Also an outstanding student, McLarty ranks in the top 5 per cent of her class with a 4.06 grade-point average, and is a member of the National Honor Society. She has accepted a scholarship to the University of Florida, selecting the Gators over Kentucky, Auburn, Nebraska, and North Carolina.

She qualified and participated in the 2000 U.S. Olympic Swimming Team Trials in August, and tried to earn a spot on the U.S. Olympic Team, ultimately finishing 22nd in the 400-meter freestyle. At the 2004 Swim Team Trials, she narrowly missed the USA Olympic team by finishing 4th in the same event. In 2008, she competed at the Triathlon Olympic Team Trials, finishing in 8th position.

While attending the University of Florida, McLarty became a 15x NCAA All American for the Gators.

Records

15-time NCAA All-American swimmer at University of Florida

Professional Achievements

Won the Collegiate Triathlon National Championship

Silver medalist in the 400m freestyle at the 2004 Swimming World Championships

2006 USA Triathlon's U23 Female Athlete of the Year

2005 USAT Rookie of the Year

Personal Honors

Attended the University of Florida

Member of the National Honor Society

Biography

Beata Nelson closed-out her scholastic career with four gold medals at the Wisconsin state championships in 2015.

A 12-time Wisconsin high school state champion, the future Badger holds three Wisconsin high school state records in the 100-yard backstroke, 100-yard butterfly, and 200-yard freestyle relay. Nelson’s time of 51.62 seconds in the 100-yard butterfly at this year’s Wisconsin high school state meet also reset her previous USA public high school national record.

A five-event Olympic trials qualifier, she also owns the National Age Group record in the 100-yard butterfly at 51.08 seconds. Nelson is a member of the USA Junior National Team.

Nelson continued to shine at Wisconsin. She finished her career as a three time NCAA Champion, a seven time NCAA All American and a nine time Big-10 Champion. She is the only female to swim a sub 50 second 100 backstroke six times.

As a sophomore, she was named to the All-Big Ten first-team and the Big Ten Swimmer of the Championships. She repeated this honors as a junior and was also the Big-10 Swimmer of the Year as well. She was the CSCAA Women’s Swimmer of the Year. As a senior, she was awarded the coveted Big Ten Medal of Honor. The Big Ten Medal of Honor, first awarded in 1915, is given to one student-athlete from the graduating class of each university who had “attained the greatest proficiency in athletics and scholastic work.” according to the Big Ten.

She excelled out of the pool. She earned CSCAA Scholar All-America honors as a Freshman. Nelson earned Academic All-Big Ten honors her final three seasons as a Badger.

Records

12x State Champion

Holds the collegiate, U.S. Open and American record in the 100-yard backstroke (49.18)

Professional Achievements

3x NCAA Champion

7x NCAA All American

9x Big-10 Champion

2x Big-10 Swimmer of the Championships

2019 Big-10 Swimmer of the Year

Personal Honors

Attended the University of Wisconsin

Biography

Brooke Forde closed-out her scholastic career with two individual state gold medals, giving her five for her high school career.

Forde, who will attend Stanford University, captured state titles in the 200-and-500 freestyle events, setting new records in the process. She also was part of two gold medal winning relay teams at the Kentucky state championships.

Forde is a member of the USA Swimming Junior National Team. She won a gold medal at the Junior Pan-Pacs as a member of the 800-meter freestyle relay team. Forde is the first swimmer from Kentucky to win the NHSCA National Girls’ Swimming Athlete of the Year Award.

Forde immediately made an impact for the Cardinals on the national scene. She was named the Pac-12 Women’s Swimming Newcomer of the Year. She won her first National title in the 800 Freestyle relay. She also earned All America honors in three events. As sophomore, she earned four additional All American honors. She also won the NCAA titles in the 500 Freestyle and 800 Freestyle Relay. In 2020, Forde added four more All American honors. Due to Covid, the NCAA Championships were canceled.

Forde was a member of the United States Olympic team for the 2020 Games held in Tokyo. She earned a Silver medal in the 800 meter freestyle relay.

Forde has also excelled out of the pool. She was named CSCAA Scholar All American her freshman and sophomore year. She was also named to the 2020 Pac-12 Academic Honor Roll. Her senior year she was the Pac-12 Women’s Swimming and Diving Scholar-Athlete of the Year.

Records

5x State Champion

Professional Achievements

2020 Olympic Silver Medalist

3x NCAA National Champion

15x CSCAA All American

Personal Honors

Attends Stanford University