Blaise Wittenauer-Lee made history this season by becoming the first Seattle University swimmer to qualify for the NCAA championships. It was an amazing end to her season and an even better end to her career as a Redhawk.

Wittenauer-Lee, mid-breath while swimming breaststroke.

Q: How does it feel to be the first SU swimmer to qualify for the NCAA championships?

BW: Being able to represent Seattle U at NCAAs was an honor. Qualifying for NCAAs was honestly a dream come true. I feel very blessed to have been apart of this program and see it change over the past four years.

Q: How was your experience on the SU swim team?

BW: My experience on the team was great. I’ve been a swimmer for the majority of my life but the time I spent on the SU team will always stand out. I’ve made friendships that will last a lifetime and I have learned so much about myself. I was looking at a few other schools but I was definitely meant to be a SU Redhawk.

Q: How did you first get into swimming?

BW: I started swimming at age five and never stopped. My whole family swam throughout high school and some of them swam in college as well, so it is sort of like a family tradition.

Q: How do you feel your last season went at SU?

BW: I don’t think I could have dreamed of a better last season as a Redhawk. The coaches and I set big goals at the beginning of the year and I’m happy to say we achieved them all. I could not have done it without my coaches, family, and especially my teammates.

Q: What are you going to miss most about the program?

BW: I already miss seeing my teammates daily and suffering through hard practice with them. I miss the comradery of a team sport and the overwhelming support of the coaches, Craig and Katherine.

Q: What’s most memorable of your college swimming experience?

BW: There were a lot of memorable moments during the past four years, but my favorite has to be beating Northern Colorado in a duel meet my junior year. That was the first time, in Seattle U Swimming history, that we beat a WAC team and it started an amazing year of victories. Our team has changed so much in the past four years and we have gotten so much stronger.

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