Washington & Jefferson College Athletics

Bethany (Ross) Burchill '96 was a dominating swimmer for Washington & Jefferson College who claimed 11 Presidents’ Athletic Conference championships.  A two-time PAC Swimmer of the Year, Burchill burst onto the scene as a freshman where she joined fellow W&J Hall of Fame Swimmer Cindy (Alexander) Brozeski ’96 as the conference co-swimmer of the year during a season in which the Presidents set 38 records, including 11 school marks.  

Burchill claimed six PAC titles (200 butterfly, 400 IM, 500 freestyle, 200 free relay, 400 free relay, 800 free relay) and helped W&J post the best dual-meet record in program history at 10-2.  Burchill earned NCAA Division III All-American honors placing top 16 in the country in both the 200 butterfly and 200 free relay during her freshman season. 

Burchill helped make history the following season with an 11-0 dual meet record and a Presidents’ Athletic Conference championship.  It was the first undefeated swimming season (male or female) in school history and the first undefeated regular-season by any women’s team at W&J.  Burchill helped the 200 freestyle relay to another PAC title advanced to the NCAA Division III Championship where they placed 13th to earn All-America accolades.  

The 1994-95 season brought more accolades for Burchill as she earned All-America laurels in the 200 butterfly with a time of 2:11.68.  She also broke the school record in the 200 freestyle at the national championship meet with a time of 1:58.11, a record now held by Kaitlyn Orstein.  That mark remained as the school record for over a decade. The Presidents won their second-straight PAC title and Burchill was chosen as PAC Swimmer of the Year.  Burchill also established conference records in the 100 butterfly and 200 individual medley. 

Burchill held eight school records during her career which lasted at least 10 years and three PAC records.  

She has been active in youth sports, serving over 10 years as Athletic Director for the Carmel Dads’ Club.  The Carmel Dads’ Club serves  over 12,000 athletes in Carmel, Indiana, a northern suburb of Indianapolis. She is the proud parent of Veronica (University of Georgia), Sammie (University of Georgia), and Tanner (Carmel High School).