For Washington University senior Alex McCormick, becoming a national champion was a dream four years in the making.

The Washington University No. 10 men’s and No. 14 women’s swim teams defeated Division II University of Missouri–St. Louis (UMSL) on Jan. 12. The next day, the Bears traveled to Illinois to face off against Division II McKendree University, producing mixed results. The women’s team defeated the Bearcats, but the men’s team fell to McKendree.

Senior Stephanie Li joined her rural New York town’s YMCA club swim team when she was seven years old, and after over a decade of swimming holds the Wash. U. record for the 200 meter breaststroke.

As a captain of the No. 7 men’s Swimming and Diving team, senior Alex Bird has helped lead the Bears to wins in two of their three duals in 2020. I had a chance to talk to Alex about leadership, how he got into swimming and how he embodies his favorite fruit.

The Washington University swimming and diving teams won the Illinois Wesleyan Invite on Saturday, continuing its early season successes. On the men’s side, the No. 5 Bears earned 144 points, outpacing second-place Augustana College by 43 points. In the women’s competition, No. 6 Wash. U. tallied 177 points, beating second-place Illinois Wesleyan University by 62 points.

The Washington University swimming and diving team beat Division I Saint Louis University in a competitive dual meet at the I.E. Millstone Pool this past Friday. The men’s team finished 149-74 over SLU. The women’s team fell, 136-105, but the combined score put the Bears ahead, 254-210, for the win.

The Washington University swimming and diving team competed in the UAA Championship this weekend. Many individual Bears swam to top finishes over the four-day competition as the men and women’s teams placed second and fourth, respectively.

While many Washington University students hit the beach or headed home for spring break, the school’s athletic programs didn’t miss a beat.

Read to relive the top 10 Wash. U. athletic moments from 2016.

If you managed to jump over the temporary wall around the Athletic Complex this past weekend, you’d know that there’s no debating whether the Washington University fall sports season is in full swing.