Diving right into the District Championship, the Warriors swim team made waves on Friday, Jan. 24, at the RRISD Aquatic Center, to secure their sixth consecutive district title with the boys’ team claiming first place while the girls’ asserted themselves as district runners-up behind Vandergrift. 

The Warriors set the tone that remained through the rest of the meet in a dominant performance in both the boys’ and girls’ medley relay. The opening victory wasn’t just another win–it continued a legacy that has been built for over half a decade. 

“Honestly, us winning the first medley relay wasn’t that big of a surprise. We’ve been leading in the district pretty much this entire season,” Steven Ma ‘26 said. “We were aiming to get the record, but hopefully we’ll achieve that by regional or state [championships].”

The cold weather posed a unique challenge for the swimmers as it clearly affected their performance and preparation; But nothing seemed to dampen the team’s spirit or determination. This resilience was particularly evident in the long-distance events.

“I’ve been training for the ‘five free’ for a couple of weeks now, preparing for it,” Liam Lewis ‘27 said. “Training for the 500 has helped me realize I was capable of doing an event of that distance in the water. So, it really helped my mental game [because] going into that race I knew I could execute what I’ve been training for.”

Through the season, the Warriors’ first and second place appearances have reflected the Warriors’ consistent presence at the top of district swimming. Coach Matthew McBrearty, through the season, has expressed his satisfaction with the overall performance of both teams.

“Our boys won their sixth straight district title, and our girls were a little behind Vandergrift, but we’ve been sitting there in the top two for the past decade consistently,” Coach McBrearty said. “I was looking at [their] times this morning and it looked like almost two thirds of the swims were best of the season, so it was a really successful meet, regardless of our combined standing.”

The team’s success wasn’t just measured in medals and records–it was evident in the electric atmosphere and team spirit that pervaded the Aquatic Center. Despite the pressure of the fierce competition, freshmen swimmers found strength in the team’s supportive environment.

“It was a really fun meet and the atmosphere was really lively,” Alice Zhang ‘28 said. “Everyone was hyping each other up and what I was thinking in the water was ‘just having fun’ [so] it was better than I expected.”

Looking ahead, the Warriors have had their sights set on the regional meet in San Antonio, where the boys’ team will hope to secure their fourth regional title in five years. So, the journey continues for these dedicated athletes who have proven that success comes not just from individual talent, but from the strength they find as a team.

“It was a great district meet and set us up for good regionals,” Coach McBrearty said. “It’s a really great run and it’s not guaranteed, [but] we’re gunning for it. We’re also hoping to have a top four finish on the girls’ team and send six individuals to state.”

The Warriors will compete next in the Regional Championship Swim Meet on Friday, Feb. 7, in San Antonio in hopes of winning their fifth Regional title in school history.

The Warriors made history at Aggieland Invitation on Saturday, Nov. 9, dominating the competition at the Texas A&M Natatorium in College Station. The team’s day began at five in the morning and stretched out until midnight, as in between, the Warriors had to tough through preliminary and final rounds in a test of the swimmers’ endurance and skill.

The meet kicked off with an explosive start as the boys’ and girls’ medley relay teams shattered previous meet records, with the girls’ clocking in at 1:45.55 and the boys’ at 1:47.37. Both teams demolished Clear Creek’s meet record from 2019 and their own record from 2023.

“My favorite part of the meet was the medley relay, which was the very first event,” Nam Anh Truong ‘26 said. “I was super nervous for that just because it’s the very first event so it sets the tone for the rest of the meet. But it actually went really well because I got a personal best from my relay split and we ended up setting the meet record, which was really exciting.”

The day’s length and intensity tested the Warriors’ spirit, but the team stayed hyped throughout the preliminary rounds and finals. The extensive meet schedule allowed swimmers to show off their versatility across a variety of events, with many achieving personal bests despite the demanding competition and fatigue.

“We got up at five then we got on a charter bus down to College Station,” Sophia He ‘25 said. “And then we warmed up until the meet started at 10:30 a.m. which went on until around 9 p.m. at night because [of the] finals. But it was really fun, I feel like this was the first meet where our team really came together. Everyone was cheering for each other and it was a really special moment, especially since this was my last Aggieland meet.” 

Approaching the finals, the Warriors’ momentum continued to build as each event brought new achievements. Pushing themselves to exceed preliminary performances, each swimmer picked up their speed. Soon, the swimmers’ unwavering team spirit played a crucial role in maintaining energy levels throughout the extended competition. 

“My favorite event was probably the 500 free because I had a pretty good time in that and hearing everyone supporting me made me feel like I’m really part of the team,” Harrison Tater ‘27 said. “This is my second year at Aggieland so I’ve done this before but this is one of my favorite high school meets I’ve been to so far.”

The significance of the meet reached beyond just the competition itself, serving as a pivotal moment in the swim season’s progression. The presence of Westwood swim alumni from Texas A&M added an extra layer of motivation for the current Warriors.

“Aggieland is the longest meet that Westwood participates in all year and it’s also the first preliminary finals meet,” Raphael Wang ‘25 said. “I think it was a really good chance for the newer swimmers on the team to experience what Westwood swimming is really about and it was also really fun to see some of our alumni at A&M come watch us swim. Aggieland is the most high-energy atmosphere event we’ve had all year and we’re really hoping to carry that [energy] throughout the championships.”

The final results reflected the Warriors’ dominance throughout the day. The girls’ team accumulated a winning 286 points while the boys’ team totalled a monumental 417.50 points, far outpacing Georgetown’s boys’ score of 242.50 as runner-ups. 

“It was the meet we hoped to have. We really like to have a great midseason meet at a big meet like that,” Coach Matthew McBrearty said. “The energy was right and we were awesome. The most memorable thing would be breaking both the boys’ and girls’ meet records in the medley relay, that was really something. The biggest competition we faced was Georgetown and Cedar Park [High School], but at the end of the day, there was no competition. We were great.”

Claiming first place on the podium, the Warriors’ commanding performance at Aggieland set a strong precedent for the remainder of their season, demonstrating both their individual talents and collective strength as a team. Their next challenge awaits at the upcoming TISCA Meet on Friday, Nov. 22 at Mansfield ISD Aquatic Center. 

The Swim and Dive team showcased their competitive spirit at the Round Rock Invite Meet on Saturday, Oct. 26, at the RRISD Aquatic Center. The Warriors faced tough competition from various schools including Round Rock, McNeil, Georgetown, and Leander.  Ultimately, the Warriors secured second place overall with a combined score of 243 points between both teams. 

It was a long meet for the warriors as each swimmer participated in multiple events. From individual races to relays, they demonstrated their endurance in the pool. Despite facing strong competition from Round Rock, the Warriors kept their competitive edge and team spirit throughout the meet, cheering each other on each event. 

“I started the day a little tired but I eventually got into it,” Phoenix Mielcarek ‘25 said. “I just swam my most fun event which was the 200 [yard] freestyle relay, we won that so I feel super proud.” 

Despite having several team members absent, the Warriors were forced to demonstrate resilience and determination throughout the meet. At the end of the day, the girls claimed second place with 143 points, while the boys’ team secured third place with 100 points. These podium placements, despite their missing players, were due to their strong performances across high-scoring events like the Freestyle Relays and Medley Relays. 

“We all went pretty fast today even though we don’t have half our team here,” Siddharth Sripada ‘26 said. “We placed high and I feel like everybody gave it their all today. I dropped my time in two of my events so I’m very proud of that.” 

Head Coach Matthew McBrearty and Assistant Coach Garrett Mott emphasized the importance of building a competitive mindset over raw speed at this stage of the season. By encouraging swimmers to challenge themselves against their increasingly fast opponents they strived to emphasize this goal. This strategy proved extremely effective as many Warriors exceeded expectations in many of their events. 

“Today we’re all about just getting up and racing,” Coach Mott said. “We’re always telling the kids ‘beat somebody that you’re not supposed to beat.’ High school swimming [is] all about places, not about times. So the more we can beat people we’re not supposed to beat, the better our team’s going to be.

This meet especially highlighted the Warriors’ growth as a team, as the team captains noted significant improvement in both individual performances and team dynamics compared to the start of the season. 

“I think as the season progresses, we’ve come together as a team as we have got to know each other more and push each other to new boundaries,” Violet Hewett ‘25 said. “I think that as a team we’ve grown so much, individually and collectively. I’m just really loving being a captain this year.” 

Looking ahead, the Warriors plan on continuing to build speed as they prepare for their upcoming competitions. Since Round Rock took first at the meet with 310 combined points, the Warriors know they’ll need to maintain their dedication to close the gap in future meets.

The Warriors will compete next in the Aggieland Swim Meet on Saturday, Nov. 9, at the Texas A&M Natatorium where they aim to dive back into first at the top of the podium.

The boys’ and girls’ Swim and Dive team both competed and took the podium in the MavWood Invitational at the Round Rock Natatorium on Thursday, Oct. 3. The meet, known for its diverse participation, was packed with competitive spirit and talent from high schools across the region. 

The meet tested both individual and team efforts throughout the day. Starting the competition, the 200-medley relays set a strong tone as Westwood secured podium spots in both the girls’ and the boys’ categories. Despite the long day ahead of them, the Warriors were dedicated to performing their best at every turn.

“I’m honestly tired because we’ve been up since 5:30 a.m.,” Sophia He ‘25 said. “But it’s great because I feel like we’re in a good spot this season [and] everyone’s swimming fast despite being in the middle of hard training so that’s nice to see.”

Although the exhaustion had taken hold of the swimmers, the team’s spirit remained buoyant throughout the meet as each swimmer touched the wall and gasped for breath, their teammates’ encouragement echoed across the pool. This resilience in the face of physical demands spoke volumes about the Warrior’s spirit and determination to succeed. 

“My hardest event [today] was the 100-meter fly and it was tiring,” Atharva Anand ‘27 said. “The meet is going just okay so far but I feel like we need to push for a little more effort if we’re going to win. I’m pretty confident in our team, though.”

Beyond the impressive times and podium finishes, there was an unbreakable team spirit in the pool’s atmosphere. This spirit and motivation, carefully cultivated by the captains, seemed just as vital to their success as all those hours of practice. 

“Being captain of a team like this is definitely an honor,” He said. “I like leading this group of people and I think we have a lot of talent on [the] team this year, so I’m especially looking [forward] to our championship season.”

As the sounds of splashing water and cheering teammates continued, Coach McBrearty was intent on encouraging the swimmers to better their techniques in the water. Even more, he remained attentive by providing constant feedback and support to each swimmer after every race.

“[We’re] feeling good,” Coach McBrearty said. “It’s been a super long and exhausting day but I think we swam great. I told everyone a new rule on how far they had to go in their underwaters today and a lot of the swimmers are unhappy about it but they’ve been trying and they’ve been working hard so it’s been great.”

The energy at the meet was electric and with numerous schools present a palpable sense of friendly competition was felt among the team as swimmers from different schools cheered each other on. Soon the Warriors’ hard work and determination paid off as the girls’ team secured an impressive second place, and the boys claimed their admirable victory in first. Most notably, Westwood emerged victorious overall, clinching a combined first place in the swim meet, surpassing eight other schools in the competition. 

The Warriors will compete next in the Round Rock Invitational Swim Meet on Saturday, Oct. 26, hoping to carry their winning streak throughout the season.

The swimming events saw the Warriors continue their winning streak. They dominated in several categories, finishing in first place in both the girls’ and boys’ 200-yard medley relay, the boys’ 100-yard backstroke, and the girls’ 50-yard freestyle. Next came the relay events, known for their high point value, which were particularly thrilling to members and coaches alike. The women’s 200-yard medley relay team, comprising NamAnh Truong ‘26, Leah Zhang ‘26, Sophia He ‘25, and Grace Xiang ‘26 left their competitors in their wake as they sliced through the water and placed first. In the men’s 200-yard freestyle relay, Kevin Qian ‘25, Max Laine ‘27, Raphael Wang ‘25, and Josh Lee ’26 additionally secured an impressive victory with a 1:36:39 time.

“I think the team culture and the cheering from my teammates helped me go a lot faster than I would’ve [if] I swam alone,” Josh Lee ‘26 said. “It pushed me to the finish mark.” 

The meet tested every swimmer’s mental strength as well as physical endurance in the water. Each swimmer had to tackle at least two relays and two individual events. As the meet progressed, the Warrior’s team spirit shone through with athletes lining the pool to cheer on their teammates to the finish line.

From seasoned seniors to wide-eyed freshmen, each swimmer was mesmerized by the electric atmosphere that filled the natatorium. As it was the first competitive meet of the season, it was also an opportunity for the team to shake off any summer rust and get back into the swim-season groove to perform their best. 

“The meet was really fun and it was really nice to see everyone out there after being away for so long,” Leah Zhang ‘26 said. “It was just really great to see our new teammates, the freshmen, and the underclassmen, experiencing it all. The atmosphere was so nice and energetic.”

The final results were a testament to the swim team’s hard work and team spirit over the past months. The women’s team secured third place overall with 100 points, and the men’s team claimed the top of the podium with 143 points. Combined, the Westwood team secured first place overall against their district opponents.

As the meet drew to a close, it became clear that the Warriors weren’t the only team that had come prepared. The strength of the other teams was palpable, with several nail-biting finishes and impressive performances from the Warriors’ rival schools. As the district steps up its game this year, the Warriors know they will need to maintain their momentum and improvement throughout the season to stay ahead of the pack.  

The Warriors will compete next in the MavWood Swim Meet on Thursday, Oct. 3, at the RRISD Aquatic Center to continue their tradition of excellence.

The Westwood Swim and Dive Team made a splash at their season-opening meet on Wednesday, Sept. 11, at the RRISD Aquatic Center. 

Divided into Orange and Black teams, the Warriors dove into a fast-paced meet that kept both swimmers and parents on their toes. Each swimmer participated in two individual events and at least two relays.

The pool deck buzzed with energy as the teams cheered each other on, embodying the school spirit that defines this fan-favorite event. For many swimmers, this meet served as a tool to gauge the season ahead, setting a strong foundation as competitions approach. 

“We did a bit of a rubric where we had a lot of swim 100s, [because] it’s really important to build up our stamina,” Angela Fu ‘25 said. “And later on we’ll do a lot more sprinting and focus [on] speed.”

For the freshmen, this meet served as a celebration of team spirit and individual aspirations for the years ahead. 

“My personal goal [for] this season is to make regionals,” Nishka Gupta ‘28 said. “I hope to maybe even make the state team.”

Coach Matthew McBrearty emphasized that his primary goal for this early season meet was simply to energize the swimmers and foster some friendly competition. Looking ahead, he brings a thoughtful approach to the team’s growth, focusing on more than just speed in the water. 

“In an early meet like this, there’s no rubric, I just want [the swimmers] to have fun and enjoy it,” Coach McBrearty said. “But as we go forward, the metrics become more important, and [it] isn’t always about times. One of the big things we look at is their underwaters, which is [their] distance and time up to the 15 meter [mark] with streamlined dolphin kicks.”

Coach McBrearty’s emphasis on fundamentals and technique rather than just raw speed demonstrates a long-term vision for the team’s success. He also restates the importance of team bonding during the season’s outset, which he hopes will bolster the team throughout the competitive season. 

“After that is [when] we look at time,” Coach McBrearty said. “Sometimes, there’ll be other things like how they start, how they finish, [and] everything in between. For now, I just hope they have fun and get excited about the season. I hope they’re not worried about [their] times and instead just enjoy being here and competing with their friends.”

At the helm of the girls’ swim team were captains Sophia He ‘25 and Violet Hewett ‘25. By blending fun and a competitive edge, both leaders set the tone for a team environment that aims to bring out the best in every swimmer throughout the season.

“I think it’s really important for everyone to know their worth, know they are capable, and that they are more than just numbers,” Hewett said. “When we incorporate team bonding, we have fun with it as a cohesive family and [I] think that’s gonna take us much farther than us working as individuals.”

The fierce captains lead with the ‘iron sharpens iron’ philosophy, creating a culture where swimmers push each other both socially and athletically. This principle inspires athletes to push their limits and achieve faster times in the pool. His leadership extends to setting ambitious team goals, as she expresses the outcomes she hopes for this season. 

“Every year, we just try to be better than we were last year,” He said. “Last year, we had a couple of state qualifiers on the guys’ and the girls’ [team] so we’re [going to] try to get more swimmers to state. [Right now] we’re reaching for our combined district title, as per usual, but we’re also trying to get the girls a district title too.”

The Warriors will compete next in the Round Rock District Opener Swim meet on Friday, Sept. 20, at the RRISD Aquatic Center. 

To start the tournament off, the Warriors went 2-0 on the first day of the tournament. Winning with decisive goals, they beat Stevens 13-2 to begin their new win streak on the right foot.

“We are learning to play together so much better than last year,” Coach Matthew McBrearty said. “Instead of leaning on Freddy (last year’s MVP on offense) for every play, while that was good, the team overall is doing much better together.”

After a quick lunch break, the team got back in the pool ready, for their final game of the day against PSJA for the first time in the program’s history. The Warriors won the game 10-3 due to the help of plays from Ethan Clark ‘26 that kept the Bears behind and boosted Westwood’s offense. With this playstyle, the Warriors got ahead early in the first half and didn’t give PSJA a chance to catch up for the rest of the game.

For their penultimate game of the series, the Warriors were excited to see how O’Connor could play as the Panthers had beaten the girls’ team earlier in the tournament and had given the boys trouble last season. However, with consistent steel wall defense and quick key offensive players, the Warriors could stop any breakaway shots on the goal and turn the ball back around quickly to end the third game 6-4.

A huge part of each tournament is the interim times between the games and proximity to opposing teams is a large part of this time. These extended periods next to your opponents often lead to feuds outside the games themselves. This particular tournament was no different: before the match against Taft, a Warrior’s newly-purchased ball was found in the Taft tent with ‘Raiders’ scrawled over the original owner’s name. 

“When we came back from our game against O’Connor I noticed our new ball was gone,” Sawyer Grimaldi ‘25 said. “Later on, we noticed that same ball sitting in Taft’s tent and that’s when we knew it was war.”

Now on the verge of the final game of the tournament against the Taft Raiders with a newly inspired flame in their bellies, the Warriors were prepared to give everything they had for this win. 

“I am ready to fight with all I have,” Captain Meijers said. “There’s a vendetta behind this game — this is a match of honor.”

Starting the game strong, the Warriors went out with their shooters in the pool to try to catch an early lead and keep the ball out of Taft’s hands. So that is what they did — putting up three points in the first quarter and holding the Raiders to one goal even after they swapped out their main defenders for a more offensive playstyle. 

With a lead going into the second quarter, the Warriors swapped out their aggressive playbook for one to try and hold onto the ball for as long as they could. They swapped to force the Raiders into the second half at a point disadvantage and seed uncertainty about what their next play has to be. Unfortunately for the Warriors, Taft started to find their footing, forcing blocks by Captain Cole Osborn ‘25 to stop Taft from capitalizing on their new foothold. But the Raiders stood no chance in the face of Westwood’s defensive set, keeping them from maintaining control of the ball and ending the half 4-1 with a Warrior lead.

“Our defense did really great today in both of our games,” Coach McBrearty said. “When we are all in the right spot and playing as we have been, we’re pretty impossible to score on.”  

Leading into the second half, each team had one goal: scoring as fast as possible to outpace their opponents. This strategy is what was utilized through the third quarter with each team playing as hostile as possible. Each team’s belligerent playstyle caused penalties to be thrown between every pass for each team as the defenses vied for a shot at a turnover to put more points on the board. Soon this aggression turned against Westwood at the end of the quarter, as Taft found space for two back-to-back goals against the scattered Warrior defense, bringing the score going into the 4th 6-4 with Westwood still in the lead.

The whole game came down to these final moments. The Raiders, head of steam, saw the opportunity to take the lead. Now, it was up to the Warrior defense to hold onto the ball as long as possible and prevent any other slip-ups. However, this plan didn’t quite come to fruition as Taft was playing as fast as possible to score the three points needed to take the lead in the final game of the tournament. After a quick move from around a close defender, Meijers put in the seventh point of the game midway through the quarter. But the game didn’t end there, as a lucky break put Taft back in striking range after they scored bringing them to 7-5 going into the penultimate moments of the game. Soon, both teams started to move at lightning pace by taking the ball up and down the pool. This resulted in three blocked shots from the Warriors and another quick goal from Taft exploiting a hole in the Warriors’ defense, dragging the score 7-6 in the final 20 seconds. As the clock ticked down, the Warriors swarmed the ball carrier, preventing any split shot at goal to try and keep the Warriors in the game. However, with a misstep, a Warrior fouled the Raider’s ball carrier giving Taft a final close-range shot on goal tying up the game 7-7 as the clock hit zero.

“Taft was a really fun opponent since we are both really fast teams,” Captain Meijers said. “But I feel our real strength was our quick passing and our set play which made everybody a force in their own right.”  

Coming off of a near-perfect tournament, the Warriors will play Round Rock on Friday, Sept. 3, in their first district game of the season. 

Held at the Lee and Joe Jamail Texas Swimming Center on Friday, Feb. 23 through Saturday, Feb. 24 as Swim and Dive concluded their 2024 season at the 6A UIL state swim meet. They closed off another victorious season with girls in ninth place and boys in twelfth. 

“I think it [was] pretty fun, I’m super excited that I made State this year,” Violet Hewett ‘25 said. “I think we had a great turnout and our girls are really dedicated and we all performed well today.”

Competing among some of the best swimmers in the nation, the Warriors were able to send their very best in relays: Namanh Truong ‘26, Leah Zhang ‘26, Sophia He ‘25, Jaden Steen ‘24 in the 200-yard-medley relay, Truong, Hewett, Steen, and He in the 200-yard-freestyle relay, Kevin Qian ‘25, Steven Ma ‘25, Raphael Wang ‘25, and Josh Lee ‘26 in the 200-yard-medley relay, and finally Lee, Harrison Tater ‘27, Julian Rusk ‘27, and Wang in the 200-yard-freestyle relay. 

On the day of finals, the stands were crowded with hundreds of spectators buzzing with excitement. As the official set off the start, the crowd let loose, screaming for their home teams. The girls’ 200-yard-medley relay achieved first place in the B-finals with a time of 1:46.59, finishing in ninth place overall. Next, the 200-yard-freestyle relay went for a solid 1:37.25, dropping 0.85 seconds from their preliminary time to land in seventh place. For Steen, the only senior on both relay teams, these relays were special as they were the last races of her high school career. 

“It was immensely bittersweet,” Steen said. “I was very sad that this was it for my high school swimming career but at the same time I’m super proud of myself [because] I’ve had injuries since sophomore year.” 

To the sounds of the sideline cheering from their teammates, the boys’ 200-yard-medley relay touched for seventh place in the A-finals with a time of 1:33.42. Unfortunately in the 200-yard-freestyle relay, the boys jumped a few places downward in rankings, however, they were still able to score 10 points for Westwood. 

“I was feeling really nervous because a lot can happen in the last leg [of the 200-yard-medley relay],” Lee said. “I just gotta focus on not selling the relay [but] the atmosphere is really hype and we’re all really supporting no matter what time we go. It’s really wholesome.” 

As the swimmers finished up the first half of the meet, it was time to cheer on the dive finals after eight preliminary rounds the night before. Jazzlyn Vaughan ‘26, bronze medalist at Regionals, was seeded 10th and was in a great position to score points for the Warriors. 

“During prelims, I wasn’t diving my best and didn’t think I was going to make finals,” Vaughan said. “I was talking to my mom who told me it’s not over until I decide it’s over and it gave me a confidence boost. My last three dives in prelims were some of my best and I was super excited when I made finals.”

Not only is Vaughan one of the very few divers in Westwood history to qualify for state — but she has now accomplished another impressive feat — becoming Coach Matthew McBrearty’s first diver to make state finals. In finals, she maintained her spot in 10th place, finishing off her last dive gracefully in round eleven, rounding off her score to 378.80 points.

“It’s kinda crazy,” Vaughan said. “I’m just in shock and it just makes me so excited and proud of myself. Since I wasn’t as stressed [for finals] I was diving super well. Overall, I had a great time and also had a lot of fun watching the swimmers swim their finals.”

In individual events, He swam one of the fastest 200-yard-individual-medley races in her high school career, achieving a time of 2:03.24. She also placed top of the state in the 100-yard-butterfly, earning 15 points with a time of 54.79. Truong climbed up a placement to fourteenth in the B-finals for the 50-yard-freestyle, racing a 24.20. Max Laine ‘27 and Ma competed in the 100-yard-breastroke, earning fifteenth place and tenth place respectively. Wang had two groundbreaking swims: going the second fastest high school time in Texas in the 100-yard-breaststroke and simultaneously breaking the school record with a time of 54.62, and fighting for a podium spot in the 200-yard-individual-medley with a time of 1:48.57. 

“I love the people I swim with so I wanted them to do well,” Steen said. “Everyone did amazing.”

The Warriors will continue their hard work in the coming years as their championship team is still relatively young and eager for greater success. In the meantime, the Warriors will be training their hardest to top this astonishing year. 

On the first day, Jazzlyn Vaughan ‘26, and Katelyn Rowe ‘24 competed in Women’s One-Meter Diving. Before the competition started, each of the 16 divers warmed up for 11 long rounds by testing the bounce of the springboard and the motions needed for their dives. 

Going against her rivals, Bianca Hutter and Caroline Holcomb, Vaughan focused on staying calm and having confidence in her training. 

“Bianca’s [Degree of Difficulty] is higher, but knowing that the top three qualify I wasn’t too worried about her,” Vaughan said. “When it came to Caroline I knew she was the one who beat Bianca last year, but again, knowing that the top three went I just tried my best.”

By the time the eleventh round began, Vaughan needed at least three points to advance to State. Strategically, she had prepared her best for last, and as she emerged from the water smiling after landing a clean dive, she saw she had earned third place with 410.80 points. 

“Because of club [diving] and not focusing a ton on high school and one-meter, the last time I did my full list was actually Districts,“ Vaughan said. “I did a little bit of one-meter here and there but haven’t done my full list in one day. But the dives I competed [in] I have had for a while and I knew how to perform them well.”

Over the next two days, the Warriors competed against the other schools in Region 7. Namanh Truong ‘26, Leah Zhang ‘26, Sophia He ‘25, and Jaden Steen ‘24 in the 200-yard-medley relay snatched first place by 0.02 seconds to the eruptive sound of cheers, 

“The relay felt pretty amazing because we didn’t expect to beat Reagan [High school],” Zhang said. “Everyone in the stadium was going crazy and we were cheering so loud for Jaden to finish.” 

The boys — Kevin Qian ‘25, Steven Ma ‘25, Raphael Wang ‘25, and Josh Lee ‘26 — missed first place in the 200-yard-medley relay by half a second but achieved an impressive time of 1:34.37. The 200-yard-freestyle relay yielded great success with Truong, Violet Hewett ‘25, He, and Steen fighting for second with a time of 1:37.38, and Harrison Tater ‘27, Julian Rusk ‘27, Lee, and Wang claiming first with a time of 1:26.19.

Within individual events, He took home silver in the 200-yard-individual-medley with a time of 2:04.33, and the 100-yard-butterfly with a time of 55.46. Truong obtained second place in the 50-yard-freestyle, touching the wall for a 23.84. In the 100-yard-breaststroke, Max Laine ‘27 became the fourth freshman in Westwood Swim and Dive history to qualify for State with a time of 56.95, Ma touched for third with a time of 56.56, and Wang sailed into first. Wang won the 200-yard-individual-medley and the 100-yard-breaststroke by significant margins, going a 1:49.02 and a 55.89 respectively to break both pool records. To award his achievements, he was given the title of Regional Athlete of the Meet. 

“I’m feeling so ready for State to watch everyone swim and to take down the school record,” Zhang said. “I think we definitely have a shot at it this year.” 

The Warriors will compete in their final meet at the UT Austin Lee and Joe Jamail Swim Center on Feb. 23. for 6A State Finals. 

On Thursday, Jan. 25, and Friday, Jan. 26, Swim and Dive competed in Districts at the Round Rock Natatorium. The boys garnered their fifth District Title while the girls achieved second place behind Vandegrift. Together, their overwhelming combined score put them on top of District 25.
“I think we did the best we could do,” Zoe Loschke ‘24 said. “You know, second place is not winning, but it’s so much better than what we did last year. We all really gave our all, and that was what we were gonna get.”
An immense improvement from the previous years, the girls were points away from obtaining a District Title. A big part of that reason were the divers — Jazzlyn Vaughan ‘26 and Katelyn Rowe ‘24 — who scored 14 points in total. On Thursday, for the first day of the meet, the divers competed with Vaughan swiping gold with a score of 435.10.
“They did all their diving and I think that helped us out,” Loschke said. “I’m just really happy to have them on the team.”
The relays — the events that yield the most points — were very successful for the Warriors. The Girls’ 200-yard-medley relay was made up of Namanh Truong ‘26, Leah Zhang ‘26, Sophia He ‘25, and Violet Hewett ‘25, and the 200-yard-freestyle relay was made up of He, Hewett, Truong, and Jaden Steen ‘24, with both extending huge leads to receive first place. The 400-yard-freestyle relay with Abby Denison ‘26, Esha Ramanathan ‘27, Zoe Loschke ‘24, and Steen followed with second place.
The Boys 200-yard-medley relay made up of Kevin Qian ‘25, Steven Ma ‘25, Raphael Wang ‘25, and Josh Lee ‘26 and the 200-yard-freestyle relay with Lee, Julian Rusk ‘27, Wang, and Harrison Tater ‘27 won consecutive golds. Qian, Tater, Rusk, and Ma in the 400-yard-freestyle relay snatched third place.
He sought first in the 200-yard-individual-medley and the 100-yard-butterfly, crushing her opposition. Truong won bronze in the 100-yard-butterfly. Wang and Ma rose ahead in the 200-yard-individual medley and the 100-yard-breaststroke, claiming first and second place respectively. Tater and Qian held second and third for the 100-yard-butterfly. Tater landed on the Warrior record board, brushing past Wang’s previous time of 51.80 and swimming an electrifying 51.74. Lee claimed silver in the 50-yard-freestyle.
“We’re gonna get it next year,” Loschke said. “I have full, complete faith in the swim team, and next year, [we’ll have a] girls’ district title.”
The Warriors will compete next at Regionals in San Antonio on Thursday, Feb. 9th.

Here is the list of Regional advancements:
Girls 200-Yard-Medley Relay: Namanh Truong ‘26, Leah Zhang ‘26, Sophia He ‘25, Violet Hewett ‘25
Boys 200-Yard-Medley Relay: Kevin Qian ‘25, Steven Ma ‘25, Raphael Wang ‘25, Josh Lee ‘26
Boys 200-Yard-Freestyle: Harrison Tater ‘27
Girls 200-Yard-Individual-Medley: Sophia He ‘25, Leah Zhang ‘25
Boys 200-Yard-Individual-Medley: Raphael Wang ‘25, Steven Ma ‘25
Girls 50-Yard-Freestyle: Namanh Truong ‘26
Boys 50-Yard-Freestyle: Josh Lee ‘26, Julian Rusk ‘27
Girls 100-Yard-Butterfly: Sophia He’ 25, Namanh Truong ‘26
Boys 100-Yard-Butterfly: Kevin Qian ‘25, Harrison Tater ‘27
Girls 100-Yard-Freestyle: Jaden Steen ‘24
Girls 500-Yard-Freestyle: Abby Denison ‘26
Boys 500-Yard-Freestyle: Nathan Chor ‘25
Girls 200-Yard-Freestyle Relay: Sophia He ‘25, Violet Hewett ‘25, Namanh Truong ‘26, Jaden Steen ‘24
Boys 200-Yard-Freestyle Relay: Josh Lee ‘26, Julian Rusk ‘27, Raphael Wang ‘25, Harrison Tater ‘27
Girls 100-Yard-Backstroke: Cate Palmer ‘27, Iris Wang ‘26
Boys 100-Yard-Backstroke: Kevin Qian ‘25, Nathan Chor ‘25
Boys 100-Yard-Breastroke: Raphael Wang ‘25, Steven Ma ‘25, Phoenix Mielcarek ‘25, Max Laine ‘27
Girls 400-Yard-Freestyle Relay: Abby Denison ‘26, Esha Ramanathan ‘27, Zoe Loschke ‘24, Jaden Steen ‘24
Boys 400-Yard-Freestyle Relay: Steven Ma ‘24, Harrison Tater ‘27, Kevin Qian ‘25, Julian Rusk ‘24
Diving: Jazzlyn Vaughan ‘26, Katelyn Rowe ‘24