From 2001-2008, the Truman Women's Swimming team dominated Division II winning seven National Championships in eight years. In a two part series we look back on the teams that took the sport by the storm over the decade. 

2001

Seth Huston led the team to its first national title in 2000-01. Huston took over the program in 1994-95 and led the team to a 13th place finish nationally at the NCAA meet in his first season, their first place at nationals since 1981-82.

The team began the year with a 129-106 win over Northern Illinois, a third place finish at the Northwestern Relays and a first place finish at the Lewis/Nebraska-Omaha tri meet. Their next dual came against Western Illinois, a 121-72 win. After a first place finish at the Nebraska-Omaha Invitational, Truman suffered their first loss of the season to Florida State 107-98. The Bulldogs rebounded with a 52-43 win over Missouri and 75-20 over Northern Iowa. At the South Dakota Invitational, Truman placed first then defeated South Dakota 153-64 in their next dual. Truman closed the regular season with a 136-102 win over Southwest Missouri and a 103-102 loss to Drury. At the Central States Championship Truman finished first on their way to Nationals. Truman sought their first championship after finishing second as a team at the 2000 championships.

At the 2001 Nationals, Jess Martin took home individual championships in four events: 200 free, 500 free, 1000 free and 1650 free. The 200 free relay team that captured the National Title included Martin, Sarah Hatcher, Katie May and Bryna Bush. 

Martin earned the Honda Award for National Female Athlete of the Year in 2001. 

2002

Hutson led the team to its second straight National Title in his final year at the helm. The regular season began with the Wheaton/Lewis tri-meet and Truman placed first. After a loss to the University of Illinois the Bulldogs won four straight duals--over South Dakota 137-50, Nebraska-Omaha 125-78, Delta State 139-58 and Washington 119-78.

After falling to Missouri and Texas A&M, Truman rebounded with a win in the Tampa/Emory tri-meet. Iowa downed the Bulldogs in a dual, but Truman closed the season with dual wins over Western Illinois 122-77, Drury 123-108 and Southwest Missouri 131-106.

Truman finished first at the Central States Championship meet and then first at Nationals. Diana Betsworth won National Titles in the 200 free (1:48.75 set a school record), 1000 free (9:55.47 set a school record) and 1650 free races. Liz Hug won the national title in the 500 free and 200 IM.

The Bulldogs also captured relay championships in the 800 free, 400 free, 400 medley and 200 medley.

800 free: Hug, Betsworth, Bridget Riley, Sarah Dance; team also set a school record with a time of 7:23.60

400 free: Hug, Betsworth, Dance, Sarah Hatcher

400 medley: Hug, Hatcher, Kelli Dudley, Michaela Osborn

200 medley: Osborn, Hatcher, Krista Pray, Christina Blose

2003

New coach Colleen Murphy led the team to its third straight title after a dominant regular season. The year began with a 152-101 win over Nebraska. Following a loss to Missouri, Truman bounced back with a first place finish in the Nebraska-Omaha/South Dakota tri meet.Truman got a resounding 126-67 win over Western Illinois in a dual, then followed with three straight first place finishes in the Nebraska-Omaha Invitational, Delta State Invitational and Tampa Relays. In their last three duals of the year Truman defeated Washington 134-98, Drury 126-79 and then narrowly lost to Iowa 138-136.

Once again Truman finished first at the Central States Championship and then captured their third straight National Title.

The 400 free relay team set a school record with a time of 3:22.82 en route to their second National Title in the event; with the same team as 2002. The team captured the 800 free relay title for the fourth straight year--with Hug, Dance and Betsworth all back and new addition Katie May. The same team as 2002 captured the 400 medley relay and the 200 medley.

Betsworth took the individual title in the 500 free, Kelli Dudley took the 400 IM and 200 back championships, Hug won the 200 IM and 1000 free.

2004  

The season got off to a slower start than previous seasons with losses to Missouri and Nebraska sandwiching the Bulldog Invitational, but Truman rebounded to take first place at the Nebraska-Omaha Invitational and Delta State Invitational. Truman then reeled off five straight dual wins over Tampa (155-108), Northern Iowa (164-126), South Dakota back to back (162-105 and 123-94) and then Western Illinois (126-71). The regular season concluded with a 121-102 loss to Drury.

For the fourth straight year Truman won the Central States Championship and then their fourth straight National Title.

The 200 medley relay team took their third straight national title, with Pray, Osborn, Blose and Whitney Jensen. The 400 medley team included Betsworth, Emily Pufall, Jensen and Sarah Dance. Finally the 800 free relay won their fifth straight with Betsworth, Meredith Rocha, May and Dance.

Lija Kaleps-Clark took home the National Title in the 200 backstroke.