The Alisha Blaydes Story

2009-10: Blaydes highlighted her season individually with a 0:24.36 time in the 50-free and a 0:52.71 time in the 100-free... As a member of the 200-medley relay team, she helped break a pool record (1:48.41, Minnesota State) and earned All-American honors as part of the 200-free relay team (5th NCAA/ 1:35.12)...member of the 200 free relay and 200 medley relay squads which took home top honors at the 2010 Midwestern Collegiate Championships.

2008-09: Junior season…had a standout season, setting three individual school records and was a member of four relay teams that set new school marks in 2008-09…became a two-time All-American, garnering a fourth place finish in the 200 free relay (1:34.18) and a fifth place finish in the 200 medley relay (1:44.16) at the 2009 NCAA Division II Championships…automatically qualified for nationals with an A-Cut in the 100 free…also collected four All-American Honorable Mention finishes in the 100 free (9th), 400 free relay (9th), 400 medley relay (10th) and the 800 free relay (16th)…inked 25 first place finishes during her junior stint…also tabbed seven top team times throughout the season, either individually or on a relay squad… individually, participated in the 50 free, 100 free, 200 free, 500 free, 50 fly, 100 fly and 200 IM…set new pool records at Minnesota State’s Nemzek Pool in the 100 free (54.53) and the 50 fly (27.03)…at the TYR Meet on Dec. 5-6, was a member of the 200 free relay (1:35.81), 200 medley relay (1:46.21) and the 400 medley relay (3:55.11) that all set new meet records…tabbed the Northern Sun individual championship in the 100 free (51.51) and was a member of the 400 free relay that garnered the championship trophy (3:30.02)…Blaydes’ 25 first place finishes led the Huskies in 2008-09…voted the team’s Most Valuable Player…school record holder in the 100 free (:50.99), 200 free (1:53.51), 50 fly (:27.03), 200 free relay (1:34.18), 400 free relay (3:28.32), 200 medley relay (1:44.16) and the 400 medley relay (3:49.82).

2007-08: Sophomore season…became a two-time All-America Honorable Mention as she swam on a pair of top-16 relay’s at the NCAA Championship meet in March…swam the anchor of the 15th place 200 freestyle relay, touching the wall at 1:37.95…later in the meet swam the first leg of the 800 freestyle relay that came in 16th with a time of 8:02.01…also at the NCAA’s swam on the 18th place 400 free relay (3:35.41), and 20th place 200 medley relay (1:51.53)…individually placed 26th in the 100 freestyle with a 52.81 and 32nd in the 50 free with a 24.50 to help the Husky women to a 20th place team finish nationally…earned All-NCC Honorable Mention accolades in three events after placing 7th in the 50 free (24.47), and 12th in the 100 free (54.73) and 200 free (1:58.95)…at the TYR/CollegeSwimming.com Classic Nov. 30 and Dec. 1 Blaydes anchored the 1st place 200 free relay team (1:36.90) that beat the NCAA standard and sent her, Ali Weske, Kelly Vieau, and Erin Lannon to the NCAA championships…posted the Huskies best times of the season in the 100 free (52.81) on Mar. 15 and the 200 free (1:57.44) on Dec. 1…on Feb. 22 at the NCC Championships swam the first leg of the 200 free relay team that took third and set the season best mark on 1:36.78 and at the NCAA’s on Mar. 15 anchored season best 400 free relay team (3:35.41)…won 12 total events on the season as one of the top performers for the Huskies.

2006-07: First year...qualified for B-Cuts in the 50 free (24.68) at the Minnesota Invite...had a top-20 NCC time in the 100 free (9th).

HIGH SCHOOL: 2005 graduate of Elk River High School...five time letter winner...named Most Valueable Athlete, All-Conference, and most improved.

PERSONAL: Parents are Rodney and Dianne Blaydes of Elk River... athletic training major...coaching minor...high school coach was Colleen Killpatrick.

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