In celebration of the North Coast Athletic Conference's 30thAnniversary, the league office has released its All-Decade team for women's swimming & diving spanning 2004-13. Denison leads all NCAC institutions with seven individuals on the All-Decade team. Remarkably, those seven swimmers and divers occupy 11 of the 15 awarded events.
Four former DU athletes were recognized in more than one event. They were Olivia Zaleski '10, Hilary Callen '12, Emily Schroeder '12, and Samantha Salas '10.
Zaleski holds the Denison program record with 19 NCAC championships in her career. She was named the NCAC Swimmer of the Year three times, and is recognized on the All-Decade team for her performances in the 50 freestyle and the 100 backstroke. Zaleski earned the maximum, 28 All-American certificates and was an eight-time national champion.
Callen was honored by the conference for her performances in the 500 freestyle and the 1,650 freestyle. In four appearances at the NCAC Championship, Callen never lost in either event. Eight of her 12 career conference championships came in those two events. Callen remains the varsity record holder in both events. She is a 17-time All-American and a two-time national champion while swimming on winning 800 freestyle relay teams in 2010 and 2011.
Salas was the lone diver represented on the All-Decade team as she was voted in for her performances on the 1-meter board and the 3-meter board. A two-time NCAC Diver of the Year, Salas won both dive events in 2008 and 2010. In 2009, she placed second on both boards.
The versatile Schroeder was honored for her excellence in the 400 individual medley and the 200 backstroke. In the 400 IM, she was a three-time conference champion and in the 200 back, she was undefeated at the NCAC Championship, winning the event from 2009-12. In all, she captured 12 conference championships and was a 13-time All-American. She was also a part of national championship 800 free relay teams in 2010 and 2011.
The All-Decade performer in the 100 freestyle went to Kristen Hohl who placed in the top-thee in the event in all four-years. In her final two seasons (2008 and 2009) Hohl captured the conference title in the event. A 22-time All-American and a four-time national champion, Hohl amassed 11 NCAC championships during her career. She was also named the 2009 Capital One Academic All-America of the Year.
Another four-time event champion occupied the 200 freestyle position as 2013 graduate Alyssa Swanson appeared on the list. Swanson won four consecutive NCAC Championships in the 200 free. She holds the NCAC record and the Denison varsity record in the event (1:49.10). Swanson is a 23-time All-American and a four-time national champion. At the conference level, Swanson captured 18 NCAC Championships, which is the second-highest total in school history, trailing only Zaleski's 19 titles.
Rounding out the list of Denison All-Decade team members is 2011 graduate and NCAC Swimmer of the Year, Ksenia Golovkina. She was recognized as the decade's top performer in the 100 breaststroke after logging two conference titles and two runner-up finishes in her career. She maintains the NCAC record in the event (1:02.91). She is also the Denison varsity record holder in the 100 and 200 breaststroke. Golovkina won 14 NCAC Championships from 2008-11, and would go on to post 20 All-American performances. Her five national championships would come on three 200 medley relay teams and two 400 medley relays.
The Denison women's swimming & diving team won six of the 10 NCAC Championships this decade. They currently enjoy a streak of five consecutive conference titles which dates back to 2009. At the national level, the decade has been highlighted by two runner-up showings and six third-place finishes at the NCAA Division III Championship. Since 1987, Denison has recorded 27 consecutive top-7 finishes and one national championship in 2001.
