Heather Merritt

AWARDS/HONORS

• 2018 CSCAA Scholar All-American
• 2018 SEC Winter Academic Honor Roll
• 2017 CSCAA Scholar All-American
• 2017 SEC Winter Academic Honor Roll
• 2016 CSCAA Scholar All-American
• 2016 SEC Winter Academic Honor Roll
• 2015 CSCAA Scholar All-American
• 2015 SEC First-Year Academic Honor Roll

IN THE RECORD BOOK

• 2nd — 100 backstroke
• 4th — 200 freestyle
• 4th — 200 backstroke
• T-4th — 200 IM
• 9th — 500 freestyle
• 1st, 4th, 5th — 400 freestyle relay
• 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th, 5th — 800 freestyle relay
• 3rd — 200 medley relay
• 3rd, 5th — 400 medley relay

2017-18 (SENIOR)

• Competed in six events in her final year at South Carolina (100 backstroke, 200 backstroke, 100 freestyle, 200 freestyle, 500 freestyle and 1000 freestyle)
• Finished 37th at the SEC Championships in the 500 free, 25th in the 200 backstroke, and 20th in the 200 freestyle
• Placed first at the SC College Invite in the 100 backstroke (54.66)
• Tallied nine total top-three finishes on the season
• Set a personal record in the 1000 freestyle against Purdue (10:26.53)
• Was a part of three winning relay teams in the 400 free relay and helped set a school record in the 800 free relay (7:02.86) at the NCAA Championships

2016-17 (JUNIOR)

• Finished 14th in the 200 freestyle (1:47.37), 24th in the 200 backstroke (1:58.47) and 28th in the 500 freestyle (4:48.88) at the SEC Championships
• Swam in four events as a junior (200 freestyle, 500 freestyle, 100 backstroke, 200 backstroke)
• Tallied 13 top-five finishes throughout the regular season
• Finished second, season bests, in the 500 freestyle at the Duke dual meet and the SC College Invite
• Finished second in the 200 backstroke at the SC College Invite

2015-16 (SOPHOMORE)

• Swam in six individual events as a sophomore
• Took part in three events at the SEC Championships, with her best finish, 26th, in the 200 backstroke (1:57.39)
• Placed 30th in the 200 freestyle (1:48.23) and 40th in the 200 IM (2:00.91) at the SEC Championships
• Tallied a pair of victories in a dual meet against Vanderbilt, winning the 100 backstroke (57.67) and 200 backstroke (2:04.94)
• Grabbed third-place finishes against Alabama in the 100 and 200 back
• Posted 10 total top-five finishes

2014-15 (FRESHMAN)

• Primarily competed in the 100 and 200 backstroke, also swam the 100 Butterfly and 200 IM
• Finished 23rd in the 100 (54.67) and 200 (1:58.63) Backstroke at the SEC Championships while setting personal records in the preliminaries of both events, going 54.18 in the 100 and 1:57.83 in the 200
• Placed 30th in the 200 IM with a career-best time of 2:00.41 at the SEC Championships
• Member of the Gamecocks’ record-setting 400 Medley Relay at the SEC Championships
• Finished in fourth place in the 200 I IM (2:01.67) at the Virginia Tech Invitational, also placed eighth in the 100 butterfly (56.32) and 100 backstroke (56.91) and ninth in the 200 backstroke (1:59.28)
• Earned the first wins of her collegiate career in the 100 backstroke (56.83) and 100 butterfly (56.75) against Florida Gulf Coast
• Tallied five individual wins throughout the season

PRE COLLEGE

• Graduated from William A. Hough High School
• Lettered in swimming all four years
• Helped lead team to 4A NCHSSA State Championships in 2012 and 2013
• Member of SwimMac Carolina

PERSONAL

• Heather Nicole Merritt is the daughter of David and Holly Merritt
• Mother, Holly swam at Penn State
• Has two sisters, Jessica and Kensley
• Majoring in marketing with a minor in elementary eduacation

! = School Record

t = Time Trial

# = Leadoff Split/Split