Dana Thibault '97 enters the Alma College Hall of Fame Class of 2013 as one of the most prolific women's swimmers in school history.
She was a two-time All-MIAA selection (1994 and 1995) and she was the MIAA 50-yard freestyle event champion during the 1994 (:24.53) and 1995 (:24.47) seasons. In addition, Thibault was a two-time 100-yard freestyle MIAA event champion (1994 and 1995). She recorded a time of :54.21 in 1994 and :53.85 in 1995.
Thibault also participated in the NCAA championships in both 1994 and 1995. She finished seventh in both the 50-yard freestyle NCAA event and 100-yard freestyle NCAA event in 1994. The following year, she was fifth in the 50-yard freestyle NCAA event and 11th in the 100-yard freestyle NCAA event.
She is a member of the 1995 800-yard free relay team that held the school record (8:07.35) until it was broken this past season. In addition, her 400-yard free relay team in 1995 had a mark of 3:41.78, which is second all-time in school history.
Individual records for Thibault are also impressive. She holds the school record in the 50 freestyle (24.27) accomplished in 1995. Also, she is third all- time in school history with a time of 1:01.24 in the 100 butterfly and is 10th in the 200 freestyle with a mark of 2:01.94.
After graduating from Alma College, she was hired to teach junior high language arts in Ludington. After a few years at that level, she transferred to high school and has worked in the English department ever since. She currently teaches primarily seniors in Advanced Placement English and various other English course offerings required and elective.
When Dana attended and swam at Alma College, she was a non-traditional student. She was older than average (24) and had two children ages two and four. Those two boys are now 22 and 20, with one currently serving in the United States Marine Corps and the other is employed locally in Ludington.
Thibault's husband of 22 years was by her side through her education at Alma and remains a supporting force in her life. He is an RN employed at McLaren of Lansing.
