Whitefish’s Nia Hanson commits to University of Jamestown

Whitefish senior Nia Hanson recently committed to the University of Jamestown in North Dakota for swimming beginning next fall.

Hanson is a standout swimmer on the high school team and has placed in the top three in multiple events at meets throughout her four years at Whitefish. Earlier in February at the Montana All-Class State Swim meet, she had a personal best in the 500 yard freestyle race swimming it in 5:56.81 and placing second in the Class AB category. She also placed fourth in the 100 butterfly at state.

In meets earlier this season, Hanson had a first-place finish at a Kalispell meet in the 100 yard butterfly swimming it in 1:11.90 to edge a swimmer out of Class AA Glacier High School. Hanson also finished third in the 200 yard freestyle race at a large Missoula meet that mixed Class A and Class AA, and came in second in the same 200 free event at a meet in Kalispell in January. She was selected as a team captain this year for the Whitefish team.

Hanson, who has lived in Whitefish her whole life and has been on a swim team since third grade, says she is looking forward to competing in the pool at the next level. Swimming in college is something she wasn’t sure if she would have the opportunity to do, and she is grateful to be able to at the University of Jamestown.

“I wasn’t sure if I would be able to actually swim in college, especially when Covid happened, but it ended up working out and I’m super happy that it did,” she said.

“I’m excited to sign with Jamestown, their swim team is awesome… I’m really excited for my future,” Hanson added.

She found the University of Jamestown, visited the college and submitted a recruitment letter online. The swim coach at the college reached out to her and the rest is history. She believes both the coach and team are a great fit for her.

Hanson is thrilled to keep swimming in college, but says she is most excited about just taking the next step in her life.

“I think just moving on to the next phases of my life and going into my future, just all the new experiences,” she said.

Hanson added that both her parents went to school in North Dakota, and Jamestown also has academic programs she’s looking forward to as well.