Senior Clint Collier ended his Whitman swim career with a bang at last weekend’s Northwest Conference Swimming Championships, placing high in the final standings and breaking school records. He placed sixth in the finals of the 100-yard breaststroke, eighth in finals of the 200-yard breaststroke and eighth in the finals of the 200-yard individual medley. He was also a member of record-breaking relay teams that placed high in the final standings.

Collier has been a member of the swim team throughout his four years at Whitman and has been a team captain for the past three.

A life long swimmer, Collier began his competitive swim career as a high school sophomore. He played other sports during high school and it wasn’t until college that he really dedicated himself to the sport.

“I really decided to focus on swimming when I came to Whitman,” said Collier, a decision that he has been very happy with.   “Swimming is my number one thing.”

Collier is a versatile swimmer who primarily swims the breaststroke and the individual medley, and holds school records in these events. He holds the fastest time in the 100-Yard Breaststroke, the fifth fastest in the 200-Yard Breaststroke and the fourth fastest in the 200-Yard Individual Medley.

“The one thing that really strikes me about Clint is how much of a self-made swimmer he is,” said senior men’s co-captain Ysbrand Nusse. “Through his own incredible work ethic and focus, he has turned himself into one of the fastest swimmers in the Northwest Conference.”

Collier said he became a captain as a sophomore because, “there was really no one else to do the job.” He was one of only two male returning swimmers that year, and as the other swimmer was abroad, Collier was the only returning swimmer on campus in the fall.

“When I started [as a captain] it was a challenge, but I was fortunate to have a lot of people to learn from. When I was a freshman there was a really good group of seniors and I was able to learn from their examples and they allowed me to learn what was important to the team,” said Collier.

Despite his initial doubts, Collier has easily stepped up to the role.

“He is energetic and brings a level of spirit that few other swimmers or captains I have witnessed have been able to match. He really takes the time to get to know everyone on the team, which helps him inspire people in ways that are unique to them,” said senior Erin Pettersen, a captain for the women’s team.

“I love swimming with him because I feel like I should push myself harder,” said first-year Brian Wakefield who met Collier as a prospect student. “He got me so excited to swim at Whitman.”

The growth in the men’s team over the past few years can be attributed to Collier’s enthusiasm for the sport. Since he began his career at Whitman, it has grown from a team of six to a full roster of 18 swimmers.

“By being a great leader for the men and demonstrating dedication, Clint has set a great example for other members of the men’s team,” said Pettersen.

“His ability to bring everyone together is a major reason why our team is as close as it is,” said Nusse.

Collier, a biology major, plans to spend next year preparing applications for medical school. During that year, he may remain at Whitman to assistant coach the swim team.

“It is a huge accomplishment to be able to balance school, swimming and a social life for four years, but Clint did it with ease. The example he set has and will continue to inspire other swimmers to follow in his footsteps and provide great leadership for this team in the future,” said Pettersen.