2020-21 Women's Swimming & Diving Roster
Sarah Helen Shepherd
- Class:
- Senior
- Position:
- Backstroke/Individual Medley
- High School:
- Northwood
- Hometown:
- Chapel Hill, N.C.
Career Highlights
• 2021 Rebecca E. Stimson Award recipient
• 2020 200 IM A-10 Champion, School Record (1:58.99)
• 2020 400 IM A-10 Champion, School Record (4:14.81)
• 200 Back School Record (1:58.26)
• Member of School Record 200 Medley Relay (1:40.81)
• Member of School Record 800 Free Relay (7:16.47)
2020-21 (Senior): Awarded the Rebecca E. Stimson Award, presented to Davidson’s top senior female athlete • Secured three medals at the A-10 Championships, including gold with the 800 free relay unit in 7:19.48 • Took silver on the 400 free relay (3:24.62) and bronze with the 400 medley (3:42.85) • Placed fifth in the 400 IM (4:21.86), sixth in the 200 IM (2:02.32) and sixth in the 200 breast (2:16.49) • Ranked 19th in individual points at A-10s.
2019-20 (Junior): Won A-10 championships in the 200 IM and 400 IM and was twice named A-10 Performer of the Week • Set the program’s 200 IM record twice during A-10s, with a 1:59.50 prelims time and a 1:58.99 final • Trimmed more than two seconds off her own 400 IM school record (4:14.81) • Swam on the school record 800 free relay team that took second at A-10s (7:16.47) • Swam on the school record 200 medley relay (1:40.81), which took A-10 silver • Improved on her own school record with a fourth-place finish in the 200 back (1:58.26) • Swam on fourth-place 400 medley and 400 free relays • Named A-10 Performer of the Week Oct. 29, 2019 after winning the 100 and 200 breast and the 200 IM against Georgetown • Named A-10 Performer of the Week again on Jan. 21, 2020 after winning the 100 breast, 200 back and 200 IM at William & Mary • Set the 200 IM pool record at W&M with a time of 2:04.97 • At the Bucknell Invitational in December, improved on her own 200 IM record (2:01.50) and set the 200 back record twice, ultimately with a time of 1:59.65 • On winning 800 free relay at Bucknell and the second-place 400 medley • Moved into second on the program list in the 200 breast (2:17.75) • Won multiple events in meets against UNCW and Gardner-Webb in January.
2018-19 (Sophomore): Had a breakout season that included putting her name atop the program’s all-time performers list in three events • Set the 200 IM mark with a time of 2:01.62 at the A-10 championships and earned a fifth-place finish • Also at A-10s, posted the program’s top mark in the 400 IM (4:17.47) and finished third • Tied the program record in the 200 backstroke (2:01.40) with a sixth-place A-10 finish • Also helped the Wildcats place fifth in the A-10 in the 400 and 800 freestyle relays and eighth in the 400 medley • Climbed to eighth in program history in the 200 breaststroke with a time of 2:22.16 at William & Mary, where she won the event and also the 400 IM • In November, won the 200 IM against Old Dominion and at the Bucknell Invitational • Won three events (200 butterfly, 200 IM, 200 backstroke) against UNCW in January and three (200 backstroke, 200 IM, 200 freestyle) against Gardner-Webb in February.
2017-18 (Freshman): Competed in all nine meets, specializing in IM but also participating in backstroke… scored in her first Atlantic 10 Championship after placing 10th overall in the 400 IM, setting a new school record (4:25.17)… won the consolation final in the 200 IM at A-10s, turning in a 2:03.93 time, falling four-tenths shy of the school record and currently ranking second on the all-time list… also took 16thoverall in the 200 backstroke at A-10s, ranking fourth on the all-time list after a 2:02.86 prelim cut… registered a Top 10 performance after placing ninth in the 200 IM at the TPI Invite… won the 200 back at the Gardner-Webb dual and took third in the 400 IM… also won the 200 back at the William & Mary dual… recorded a pair of seconds in the 200 IM and 200 back at dual with UNCW… took second in both the 100 back and 200 IM at the GW dual with a third in the 200 back… co-winner of the 2017-18 team’s Breakout Performer award…. Finalist for Davidson’s Rookie of the Year…
Before Davidson: Two-year captain at Northwood High, where she was named Swimmer of the Year for the Big 8 Conference and a 3x all-conference selection.... chosen as the team's MVP in both 2016 and 2017.... Helped lead Northwood to a conference runner-up title in 2017...
Personal: Daughter of Brett Shepherd and Stacey Gahagan... Born on August 28, 1998... has three siblings- Hannah Gail, Claire, and Gabe... planning to study chemistry
• 2021 Rebecca E. Stimson Award recipient
• 2020 200 IM A-10 Champion, School Record (1:58.99)
• 2020 400 IM A-10 Champion, School Record (4:14.81)
• 200 Back School Record (1:58.26)
• Member of School Record 200 Medley Relay (1:40.81)
• Member of School Record 800 Free Relay (7:16.47)
2020-21 (Senior): Awarded the Rebecca E. Stimson Award, presented to Davidson’s top senior female athlete • Secured three medals at the A-10 Championships, including gold with the 800 free relay unit in 7:19.48 • Took silver on the 400 free relay (3:24.62) and bronze with the 400 medley (3:42.85) • Placed fifth in the 400 IM (4:21.86), sixth in the 200 IM (2:02.32) and sixth in the 200 breast (2:16.49) • Ranked 19th in individual points at A-10s.
2019-20 (Junior): Won A-10 championships in the 200 IM and 400 IM and was twice named A-10 Performer of the Week • Set the program’s 200 IM record twice during A-10s, with a 1:59.50 prelims time and a 1:58.99 final • Trimmed more than two seconds off her own 400 IM school record (4:14.81) • Swam on the school record 800 free relay team that took second at A-10s (7:16.47) • Swam on the school record 200 medley relay (1:40.81), which took A-10 silver • Improved on her own school record with a fourth-place finish in the 200 back (1:58.26) • Swam on fourth-place 400 medley and 400 free relays • Named A-10 Performer of the Week Oct. 29, 2019 after winning the 100 and 200 breast and the 200 IM against Georgetown • Named A-10 Performer of the Week again on Jan. 21, 2020 after winning the 100 breast, 200 back and 200 IM at William & Mary • Set the 200 IM pool record at W&M with a time of 2:04.97 • At the Bucknell Invitational in December, improved on her own 200 IM record (2:01.50) and set the 200 back record twice, ultimately with a time of 1:59.65 • On winning 800 free relay at Bucknell and the second-place 400 medley • Moved into second on the program list in the 200 breast (2:17.75) • Won multiple events in meets against UNCW and Gardner-Webb in January.
2018-19 (Sophomore): Had a breakout season that included putting her name atop the program’s all-time performers list in three events • Set the 200 IM mark with a time of 2:01.62 at the A-10 championships and earned a fifth-place finish • Also at A-10s, posted the program’s top mark in the 400 IM (4:17.47) and finished third • Tied the program record in the 200 backstroke (2:01.40) with a sixth-place A-10 finish • Also helped the Wildcats place fifth in the A-10 in the 400 and 800 freestyle relays and eighth in the 400 medley • Climbed to eighth in program history in the 200 breaststroke with a time of 2:22.16 at William & Mary, where she won the event and also the 400 IM • In November, won the 200 IM against Old Dominion and at the Bucknell Invitational • Won three events (200 butterfly, 200 IM, 200 backstroke) against UNCW in January and three (200 backstroke, 200 IM, 200 freestyle) against Gardner-Webb in February.
2017-18 (Freshman): Competed in all nine meets, specializing in IM but also participating in backstroke… scored in her first Atlantic 10 Championship after placing 10th overall in the 400 IM, setting a new school record (4:25.17)… won the consolation final in the 200 IM at A-10s, turning in a 2:03.93 time, falling four-tenths shy of the school record and currently ranking second on the all-time list… also took 16thoverall in the 200 backstroke at A-10s, ranking fourth on the all-time list after a 2:02.86 prelim cut… registered a Top 10 performance after placing ninth in the 200 IM at the TPI Invite… won the 200 back at the Gardner-Webb dual and took third in the 400 IM… also won the 200 back at the William & Mary dual… recorded a pair of seconds in the 200 IM and 200 back at dual with UNCW… took second in both the 100 back and 200 IM at the GW dual with a third in the 200 back… co-winner of the 2017-18 team’s Breakout Performer award…. Finalist for Davidson’s Rookie of the Year…
Before Davidson: Two-year captain at Northwood High, where she was named Swimmer of the Year for the Big 8 Conference and a 3x all-conference selection.... chosen as the team's MVP in both 2016 and 2017.... Helped lead Northwood to a conference runner-up title in 2017...
Personal: Daughter of Brett Shepherd and Stacey Gahagan... Born on August 28, 1998... has three siblings- Hannah Gail, Claire, and Gabe... planning to study chemistry
Swimming & Diving: Georgetown Time Lapse
Thursday, October 29
Swimming & Diving: Sights & Sounds - Swim
Thursday, October 01
Swimming & Diving: Sights & Sounds - Lift
Thursday, October 01
Davidson moves to the Atlantic 10
Sunday, August 18
