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College fit key for Plant swimmer Hahmann

Staff file photo by JASON BEHNKEN

A leader on a strong Plant team, Hahmann is one of the top distance swimmers in Hillsborough County.

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By KATHERINE SMITH | The Tampa Tribune

Published: September 23, 2009

TAMPA - One down, only three more to go.

Plant senior swimmer Hillary Hahmann began the arduous college recruiting process this past weekend with her first official visit. Hahmann took a trip to the South Carolina campus where she got in some football, watching the Gamecocks defeat Florida Atlantic.

South Carolina is one of four schools Hahmann will choose to swim for in college. The others are Alabama, George Washington and Brown. She'll visit Alabama this weekend and George Washington in two weeks.

"It was really hard. It took me a long time to narrow it down," Hahmann said. "I wanted to stay somewhere in the Southeast, but I am looking at a couple schools outside of the Southeast. I just want to find someplace that is the best fit for me."

Hahmann has been swimming competitively since she was 5. Growing up, she participated in nearly every sport, including volleyball and track, but began focusing solely on swimming in the eighth grade.

Last year, Hahmann swam a leg of the state champion Class 2A 200 freestyle relay team. This season, as one of the leaders on a strong Plant team, Hahmann contributes as one of the top distance swimmers in Hillsborough County.

"I'm really excited. It's fun being a senior," she said. "I really like the team we have this year."

WELCOME TO THE PARTY: First-year school Steinbrenner High crashed the City Relays party Sept. 12, finishing a respectable fifth in the boys team competition and sixth in the girls.

The boys best finish was fourth in the 400 free relay. The girls also finished fourth in the 400 free and closed out the meet with a third-place finish in the 200 free relay with a time of 1:52.73, behind first-place Academy of the Holy Names (1:49.57) and Plant (1:52.06).

SPEAKING OF PARTIES: Tampa Prep's teams had quite the time at the St. Pete Relays on Sept. 12. The girls finished second overall and the boys were fourth. The teams combined for third place.

That's a big improvement from last year when the Tampa Prep girls were ninth and the boys finished seventh.

This year, the Terrapins also won top honors for Hillsborough County teams in the Spirit category. Pirate costumes helped them claim that prize.

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