Colony High standout will swim at UAF

PALMER — Throughout her high school career, Alexis Mattson has watched friends and former teammates continue their own careers with the UAF swimming program. Now, Mattson will have the same opportunity.

Late last week, the Colony High School standout signed her National Letter of Intent to attend UAF and swim for the Division I Nanooks next season.

“I’ve been waiting for this for four years,” Mattson said earlier this week.

Mattson said she’s been swimming for about nine years, and set a goal during her freshman year to swim at the next level. There were other options, but UAF stayed at the top of the list.

“I knew I wanted to stay in state and I wanted to swim in college, and get a scholarship,” Mattson said.

The 2018-19 UAF roster includes a pair of Colony High graduates, senior Sierra Kinworthy and freshman Camille Dayton. Mattson and Dayton were teammates for three seasons at Colony High. Mattson said she was able to learn a lot about UAF and its swimming program from the former Valley standouts.

“I just heard a lot of great things,” Mattson said.

In addition to the swimming, Mattson said she likes the school’s sense of community. It’s also a fit academically for Mattson, who will study biology.

In the pool, Mattson said she’ll have the chance to focus on her main event, the breaststroke.

“I’m super excited. That’s my race,” Mattson said. “I get all of that attention on that one stroke.”

Mattson said she’s excited to receive the additional coaching on her specialty event, but also put in the additional time working to improve.

Mattson capped her Colony career with a fifth-place finish in the 100-yard breaststroke in November. She was also eighth in the 200 individual medley. The weekend before, Mattson posted a pair of third-place finishes. She was third in both the 100 breaststroke and 200 IM during the Region III Championships.

Overall, Mattson said, she’s happy with her high school career.

“I did really well my freshman and sophomore years. My junior year I plateaued. My senior year, with my new coach, I kicked butt. Finally found out what I was missing,” Mattson said.

Mattson said her swimming career has taught her many things that help her both in and out of the pool.

“The sport for sure has taught me a lot of things that I could not have learned without,” Mattson said. “I feel like, without it I wouldn’t be the person I am today.”

Contact Frontiersman managing editor Jeremiah Bartz at sports@frontiersman.com.