Sacred Heart takes fourth straight title in record-breaking fashion

Sacred Heart’s girls’ swimming and diving team served notice early in Saturday’s state meet that it wouldn’t be overshadowed by St. Xavier’s title run earlier in the day.

Bursting out of the gate with state-record setting wins in two of the meet’s first four events, the Valkyries snatched a commanding lead and never looked back, claiming their fourth-straight state championship and sixth in the past seven years.

Sacred Heart won the meet-opening 200-yard medley going away, setting the new state record at 1:40.61, almost five full seconds ahead of second-place Notre Dame. The relay squad was anchored by University of Kentucky signee Asia Seidt, who went on to set individual state records in the 100-yard backstroke and 200-yard medley. The senior was part of the Valkyries’ 200-yard freestyle relay team as well, which nabbed the school its sixth championship and fourth state record of the afternoon.

“We have a saying, ‘no Valkyrie left behind’,” said Sacred Heart head coach Jim Luebbe, who spent the meet stalking around the pool demonstratively encouraging his swimmers while wearing pink tights and a towering plastic Viking helmet. “We try to use that as a motto. When somebody doesn’t do their best we count on somebody to pick them up. They’re strong women of great faith in my estimation.”

Luebbe said Kentucky swim coaches have a gem on their hands in Seidt.

“They’re gonna get somebody who’s humble and appreciative of her opportunity and someone who works hard,” he said. “She’s gonna be a blessing to the University of Kentucky. They’re gonna love her.”

Seidt’s commanding performance wasn’t the only reason Kentucky aquatics buffs should be excited about next season. Fellow future Wildcat Madison Winstead made waves of her own. The Paul Dunbar senior led the Bulldogs to a fifth place team finish after a ninth place showing last year.

Winstead finished third in the 100-yard butterfly. She then went on to beat the state record she set just one day before during Friday’s preliminaries in the 100-yard breaststroke, her strongest event. She finished in 1:00.45, a just ahead of second-place Madeleine Vonde of Notre Dame.

Winstead was visibly angry after exiting the pool following her third-place finish in the butterfly. But she said she used her disappointment as motivation in her breaststroke run.

“It wasn’t a bad swim by any means, it just wasn’t up to my expectations. But I knew that after that it was important to get my composure back,” she said. “I’m glad I finally got that win, it just wraps up the whole senior year into an amazing career here.”

“We were over the moon,” said Dunbar head coach Sydney Witzky of Winstead’s races at state. “She’s been really consistent for four years, but the first three she’s always been beaten. And just to see it all come together her senior year and finally get that first place was great.”

Witzky, who swam for Kentucky in college, said she’s thrilled that her senior leader will be just down the road next year.

“UK has so much potential with her. She’s gonna do great things in college and I’m so excited that she’s going to UK because she’s right there and we can watch it all happen.”

Seidt and Winstead were voted first-team All State and were named the meet’s co-“Outstanding Performers.” The pair made it clear that they were looking forward to combining their talents next year at UK as teammates instead of friendly rivals.

“Asia is awesome,” said Winstead. “I’m so happy that we’re gonna get to go take on UK together, especially being local girls.”

Seidt said Winstead played a big role in bringing her into the Wildcat fold.

“She was a big help in the college process,” said Seidt. “She committed earlier than I did so it was great to be able to get her advice on where I wanted to go to school and UK was the best fit for me. I’m looking forward to it.”

This story was originally published February 27, 2016 at 9:45 PM with the headline "Sacred Heart takes fourth straight title in record-breaking fashion."