Holiday Newsletter
Dear WETS,
We wish you a Merry Christmas and a safe happy holiday season. Sure would have been nice to be at the swim center the last few weekends to witness our men and women swimmers and divers in action. They continue to make us proud. Eddie, Matt, Wyatt, Carol and Mitch have the men ranked #1 and the women #2!! Please check out the results and stories from the Texas Swimming and Diving Hall of Fame Invitationals. Lots of fast swims, very little splash and high scores from our divers.
Love the support from our athletic director and staff. Chris Del Conte rightly brags on aquatics in his last post:
Men’s and Women’s Swimming Shine at Texas Hall of Fame Invite
Wow, the action was fast and furious at the Lee and Joe Jamail Texas Swimming Center over four days last week! Both our Men’s and Women’s teams were tearing it up during the Texas Hall of Fame Invite with school records falling and top national times being set. It was highlighted by Coach Capitani and our Women setting, count ’em – not one, not two, but three school records! First there was the 400-yard medley relay on Thursday, then Olivia Bray in the 100-yard butterfly and Anna Elendt in the 100-yard breaststroke on Friday. Olivia and Anna were also part of that relay along with Julia Cook and Kelly Pash. To top it off on Saturday, Olivia and Anna were at it again, setting fastest times in the nation this year in the 200-yard butterfly and the 200-yard breaststroke, respectively. Coach Reese, who I affectionally call Yoda, and our Men also had an impressive showing. Our 800-yard freestyle relay swam the seventh-fastest time in history and the fastest EVER outside of the NCAA Championship meet, Drew Kibler recorded the fastest time in the nation this season in the 200-yard freestyle and the second-fastest in the 500-yard freestyle, Daniel Krueger registered the fastest time nationally in the 100-yard freestyle, and Sam Pomajevich posted the best time in the nation in the 200-yard butterfly. And, the icing on the cake came on Tuesday as Olivia Bray and Drew Kibler were named Big 12 Swimmers of the Week! Way to go swimmers! That deserves a big Hook ‘Em!
Horns Illustrated also has a nice article: https://hornsillustrated.com/web-stories/411ontheforty-swimming-records-broken/
Check out Texassports.com, doing a great job of covering swimming and diving… so check it often.
Texas Men’s Swimming and Diving Texas Women’s Swimming and Diving
2021 WET$ Donors
We are truly blessed with the support our donors have given our organization. Lots of loyal early support from these great WETS donors. Would love to have every former swimmer, coach, parent, or fan be a part of our fun and happy group and add your name to the list for 2021. DONATE ONLINE
CENTURY MEMBERSHIP
Bruce & Beth Anderson, Katherine & Kevin Arris-Wilson, Jeff & Jennifer Blanchard, Thomas & Julie Bliemel, Ken & Amber Bostock, Travis & Liz Brown, Patrick Brundage, Andre & Kimberly DuPlesis, Hans Dersch, Ted & Stacy Doyle, Nate & Michele Dusing, Darrell Fick, Marty Hubbell, Brian & Shannon Jones, Shaun Jordan, Sam Kendricks, John & Andrea Kenny, Bob & Miyuki Kitzman, Peggy Little, Wayne & Amy Madsen, Scott & Karan Mactier, Rick & Dana May, Michael & Becca McBroom, Tom & Regina Nichols, Lalo Perez, Jeff & Nan Porter, Poston & Kelly Pritchett, Richard & Candy Reeves, Bill & Carol Robertson, Susan & Richard Santamaria, Tony & Mary Beth Scott, Stuart Smith, John & Christine Spaid, Matt & Bridgette Stahlman, Roger & Ann Wacker, Gregg Waddill, Dick & Michelle WorrellAnn Worthington, Marc & Elaine Yancey
HORNS MEMBERSHIP
Kelly Freeland Hoffman, Thomas & Bonnie Smith
INDIVIDUAL MEMBERSHIP
Sharon Smith, Donald Sutton
Our goals continue to be the same as it was when our founders started the organization in 1967: HONOR the past, PROMOTE the present and future of Texas swimming and diving and PROVIDE a common forum for all former swimmers, divers, coaches and fans. If you don’t see your name on the list amongst these early bird heroes, then please DONATE ONLINE or send your splash of cash (no more than $100.00) to: WETS, PO Box 132614, Woodlands, TX. 77393. Tax deductible ID: 74-212406
WETSPOTS
Great to see Jill Sterkel back on deck. She is a volunteer coach helping out Carol, Mitch and the team. She took this awesome picture of the new outdoor pool this week. 
Quite the upgrade from the 1938 outdoor pool!!
I am glad Jeff Olsen reads our WETS letter! He answered Chris Plonsky’s plea for pictures of those SWC champions that she did not have to put on display in the beautiful new Frank Denius Family University of Texas Hall of Fame. Jeff’s research found all the early champions photos plus a great story on Don Thomas. He was a member of the 1939 SWC 400 freestyle relay along with Wally Hoffrichter. This 1992 Alcalde article confirms that Nobel Laureate, Edward Donnal Thomas is the Don Thomas from the swim team. They should definitely produce a “Longhorn Legend” spot for him for The Longhorn Network. 
This is a great biography produced on him, his wife and their cancer research:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xZ5gWRgU2EA&feature=youtu.be
Great research, Jeff! Look for Don’s photo along with these other early longhorn swimmer’s photos in the Hall of Fame.
Joe Turner, 1932 (winning SWC 440y freestyle relay team), Hal Bruner, 1933 (winning SWC 440y freestyle relay team) Walter Hoffrichter, 1938-39 (winning SWC 300y medley relay team), John McLarty, 1946 (winning SWC 300y freestyle relay team).
Thanks for your support and Hook’em Horns!!
Swimcerely, Bill Robertson ‘81, WETS news bill@camplonghorn.com