LAWRENCE HIGH SENIOR CHELSEA DIRKS-HAM smiles during her signing ceremony in the LHS library while Lawrence Aquahawks swimming coach Mike Soderling applauds. Dirks-Ham signed with Missouri State, where she plans to continue her competitive swimming career, on Monday.

In the midst of her record-breaking season, Lawrence High swimmer Chelsea Dirks-Ham officially announced her signing with Missouri State University on Monday afternoon at the LHS library.

“It’s really exciting,” Dirks-Ham said. “I’m really glad to have chosen a school and to know where I’m going.”

She also considered the University of New Mexico, but selected Missouri State for several reasons.

Dirks-Ham liked the close proximity of the Springfield, Mo., school, which is a 31â2 -hour drive from Lawrence, and the warmth of the coaching staff.

“It’s just a big family,” she said.

Missouri State’s 19,000-student population and strong pre-med program also left her enamored of the school.

Dirks-Ham, who began swimming in the second grade, has enjoyed an impressive senior campaign, establishing school marks in both the 100-yard butterfly and 100 backstroke.

“She’s strong, and she’s confident,” LHS swim coach Kent McDonald said of his swimmer, who participates in the freestyle and backstroke but specializes in the butterfly.

“She also picked the hardest stroke there is and decided to excel in that.”

Dirks-Ham swam for the Lions her freshman year before competing exclusively for the Lawrence Aquahawks during her sophomore and junior years. But during her last year in high school, she wanted to swim alongside her classmates and friends.

“It was fun to just come out and support the school,” she said.

Aside from the skill she demonstrated in the pool for the LHS team, she has served as a leader, guiding freshmen Elle Weber and Jessica Boyer.

“She’s been kind of like a mother figure,” McDonald said. “We need someone there who can keep the really fast runners going, and she’s done that.”

Monday served as a time for the Dirks-Ham family and friends to celebrate her athletic accomplishments with cake and hearty congratulations. With the postseason beginning next week, the girl of the hour, however, has work left to do in the pool.

“In a couple of weeks,” said McDonald, looking ahead to the state meet in Topeka, “we’d like to her break (the records) again.”