Before the State meet, Coach Jeffrey Girard told the Swimming Bears that if they "swim hard, represent themselves and Ursuline well, were good sports, win or lose, and were loud and supportive teammates," that "it would be considered a successful meet" regardless of how they placed. 

And the first thing he told the girls after the meet? "I told them the 400 Free Relay (the last event) was the epitome of the entire meet: They could have cashed it in, not put any effort into the swim, but, on the contrary, they fought, clawed, cheered and swam their rear ends off. Just like the entire meet and season. I told them that me being proud of them was an understatement!"

Congratulations to the Ursuline Swimming Bears, who finished the season as Texas Association of Private and Parochial Schools (TAPPS) Division 1 State Runner-Up!

The following athletes medaled at the February 12 TAPPS State Championship:

Ariana Burlingame '25

6^th place, 100 Yard Butterfly - 1:00:35

9^th place, 50 Yard Freestyle - 26.39

Caroline Rippel '25

2^nd place, 100 Yard Freestyle - 53.14

4^th place, 100 Yard Backstroke - 59.24

Adeline Wongso '25

2^nd place, 100 Yard Breaststroke - 1:06.81

3^rd place, 50 Yard Freestyle - 24.50

Bella Dewhirst '26

5^th place, 50 Yard Freestyle - 25.49

Natalie Estrada '26

2^nd place, 500 Yard Freestyle - 5:21.63

5^th place, 200 Yard Freestyle - 1:58.39

Elizabeth Dang '28

11^th place, 100 Yard Backstroke - 1:08.02

Charlotte Fowler '28

11^th place, 100 Yard Breaststroke - 1:16.14

Caroline Rippel '25, Adeline Wongso '25, Ariana Burlingame '25, Natalie Estrada '26

1^st place, 200 Yard Medley Relay - 1:49.79

Natalie Estrada '26, Adeline Wongso '25, Elizabeth Dang '28, Bella Dewhirst '26

2^nd place, 400 Yard Free Relay - 3:46.78

Ariana Burlingame '25, Brighton Portocalis '27, Bella Dewhirst '26, Caroline Rippel '25

4^th place - 200 Yard Freestyle Relay - 1:44.68

 

My favorite memory of this season was watching our 200 Medley Relay pull ahead, then get behind before finally pulling out the victory, less than a second away from an Ursuline school record!

Coach Jeffrey Girard