Sarah Hitchens

Position:
Back/Sprint Free
Height:
5-10
Class:
Senior
Hometown:
West Chester, Pa.
High School:
Villa Maria Academy

SARAH HITCHENS BIO

Career Best Times: 22.50 in the 50-yard freestyle; 48.99 in the 100-yard freestyle; 52.79 in the 100-yard backstroke; 1:56.98 in the 200-yard back-stroke; 26.00 in 50-meter freestyle; 58.20 in 100-meter freestyle; 1:02.30 in 100-meter backstroke; 2:15.53 in 200-meter backstroke.

General: Ranks sixth in UNC history in the 50-yard freestyle (22.50), sixth in the 100-yard freestyle (48.99), fifth in the 100-yard backstroke (52.80) and ninth in the 200-yard backstroke (1:56.98)…anchored 200 medley relay team to a school record in 2016…swam the third leg on UNC’s school record setting 200 freestyle relay in 2015…she was the third leg of a new school record in the 400 free relay in 2016.

2015-16: 2016 NCAA qualifier and honorable mention All-America… member of 400 free relay team which copped NCAA finish of 12th… swam on 200 freestyle relay which placed 15^th at NCAA Championships…anchored 400 medley relay at NCAAs which finished 12^th… also anchored off 200 medley relay which placed 16^th…at 2016 ACC Championships, she finished tied for 12^th place in 50 free (22.60) while notching fifth place in the 100 backstroke (52.80) and 11^th place in 100 freestyle (48.99)…swam on victorious 200 free and 400 free relay teams against Louisville… excelled at 2015 Nike Cup where she placed 14th in the 50 free (23.36), fifth in 100 back (54.50) and fifth in 200 back (1:59.38)…won the 100 back (55.35) and swam on winning 400 free relay in victory over Navy… served as a CREED mentor in the Carolina Leadership Academy for the second straight year… named to ACC Academic Honor Roll.

2014-15: Captured honorable mention All-America honors as a member of UNC’s 200 freestyle relay team...swam on 200 freestyle and 200 medley relays which set school records...scored in three individual events at the ACC Championships...she placed 6th in the 50 free (22.50), 9th in the 100 back (53.72) and 12th in the 200 back (1:57.15)...swam on 200 free relay team which took second place...won the 50 and 100 freestyles and swam on a winning freetyle relay in dual meet wins over Virginia Tech and Navy...at the Nike Cup she placed eighth in the 50 free, 10th in the 100 back, 10th in the 200 back and 13th in the 100 free...served as a CREED Mentor in the Carolina Leadership Academy.

2013-14: NCAA qualifier where she swam on Carolina’s 200 freestyle relay…had a fantastic performance at the Nike Cup…finished in the Top 15 in four individual events and swam on three relays that finished in the Top 6…placed 4th in the 200-yard backstroke (1:59.39), 5th in the 100-yard backstroke (55.02), 11th in the 50-yard freestyle (23.33) and 14th in the 100-yard freestyle (51.72)…swam on the 1st place 200-yard free relay (1:30.52), the 3rd place 400-yard freestyle relay (3:23.35) and the 6th place 200-yard medley relay (1:42.69) teams…at the ACC Championships, she competed in three individual events and swam on one relay team…finished 10th in the 100-yard backstroke in 53.63, 18th in the 50-yard freestyle in 23.00 and 18th in the 200-yard backstroke in 1:57.13…recorded career best times in both backstroke events at the conference meet…swam on the 4th place 200-yard freestyle relay (1:29.81), which broke UNC’s record…competed in three events at the Arena Grand Prix during long course season…took sixth place in the 100-meter backstroke and fifth place in the 200-meter backstroke at the Speedo Champions Series Section of Southern Zones…a CREED mentor in the Carolina Leadership Academy.

Prep: Attended the Villa Maria Academy where she was coached by Cathy Hay…did her club swimming for the Suburban Seahawks Club under the tutelage of legendary coach Charlie Kennedy…an outstanding sprinter…eight-time PIAA state champion…holds four state records…member of teams which won three state high school championships…13-time All-State honoree…Olympic Trials qualifier in the 100-meter backstroke.

Personal: Sarah Anne Hitchens was born July 13, 1995 in West Chester, Pa. …is the daughter of James and Barbara Hitchens…double major in communication studies and English …stands 5-10 tall…comes from an extremely athletic family…her father played football at Gettysburg College…her mother played field hockey at Hood College…her sister, Kate, swam at Hood College…CREED mentor in bCLA for third year.