By Robert Whitmire

The SPASH girl’s swim team will kick off defense of its 2016 Wisconsin Valley Conference title on Aug. 18, when they host the Panther relays at the SPASH pool.

The Panthers will hit the water under the guidance of new head coach Courtney Sheehan, who brings a wealth of swimming and coaching success to the program on the heels of a highly-regarded career at the club, high school and Division I university levels.

Sheehan will also be enrolled in the Doctorate of Audiology program at UW-Stevens Point.

Sheehan’s swimming career started at age seven with the Waukesha Express Club swim team, then moved on to a highly-successful high school career at Waukesha South High School, where she broke multiple team records for the 200, 500, free and 400 free relays. She competed and placed at the state meet all four years.

A full scholarship led her to compete at NCAA Division I Fresno State, where she swam at multiple national level meets. Sheehan was the team’s MVP her freshman year and all-conference for both the Western Athletic Conference and Mountain West Conference.

Along the way, she posted the fastest recorded time at Fresno State in the mile swim, and was a member of the 800 free relay that broke the school record in 2012.

She coached swimming in the summer during college, and served an assistant coach in 2015 for the Milwaukee-based Southwest Aquatic Team.

Sheehan said she was “excited” for her first head coaching job.

“My goals for the season are to win both the Wisconsin Valley Conference meet and the Hudson Sectional,” she said, “sending a large group of girls on to the state meet.”

SPASH Girls Swim Schedule

Friday, August 18 @ 12:00 pm – Panther Relays @ SPASH Pool
Tuesday, August 22 @ 5:00 pm – at Appleton North high School
Saturday, August 26 @ 12:30 pm – at Eau Claire Memorial Invite @ Eau Claire North High School
Thursday, September 7 @ 5:30 pm – host Wausau West @ SPASH Pool
Friday, September 8 @ 5:00 pm – at Appleton West High School Invite
Thursday, September 14 @ 5:30 pm – at Wisconsin Rapids Lincoln High School
Tuesday, September 19 @ 5:30 pm – host Marshfield @ SPASH Pool
Saturday, September 23 @ 1:00 pm – at Sun Prairie high School Invite
Thursday, September 28 @ 5:30 pm – at D.C. Everest High School
Saturday, September 30 @ 10:00 am – at Middleton High School Invite
Saturday, October 7 @ 10:00 am – at Homestead High School Invite
Thursday, October 12 @ 5:30 pm – hosts Wausau East @ SPASH Pool
Tuesday, October 17 @ 5:30 pm – at Merrill @ Prairie River Middle School
Friday, October 20 @ 5:15 pm – Pink Panther JV invite @ UWSP Aquatic Center
Thursday, October 26 @ 5:45 pm – at WVC meet @ U?WSP Aquatic Center
Saturday, November 4 @ 10:00 am – at WIAA Sectional @ Hudson Middle School
Friday, November 10 @ TBD – at WIAA state meet @ UW-Madison Natatorium