Nicki Phillips

Nicki Phillips grew up in Brookfield, WI. Her swimming career started with lessons when she was young. Unfortunately, she didn’t go far with lessons as she failed advanced beginners. So, when lessons don’t work out, what do you do? You join the local swim team, which at age 8, she did along with her brother. When she started on the swim team, she could barely swim 50 meters. But clearly, through hard work she accomplished 50 meters and so much more!

Nicki swam for the Brookfield East High School team. Her specialty events were the 200 and 500 freestyle. Because of her versatility she would be called upon to swim other events as needed. However, she never swam the 50 free, too short for her, or 100 back, preferring to be able to see where she was going.

She attended college at The University of Wisconsin, Eau Claire, where she earned her degree in business and economics. Coincidentally, Pam Ogden’s husband was her finance professor. Needing a break from swimming after high school, she chose not to swim at Eau Claire.

After college, Nicki eventually found her way to MN where she returned to swimming. She was a member of a group of swimmers at the YWCA from 1994-2003.  She started competing in meets and that is where she met Wayde Mulhern (HOF class of 2014). At that time Wayde was very involved in MN masters swimming (and ran nearly everything). He encouraged Nicki to volunteer with the LMSC, which she did.  You could often find Nicki helping with meet set-up, checking in swimmers or timing. From the mid 1990’s to 2003 she was the author of the Minnesota Masters newsletter. She served as the MN Masters president in the late 1990’s to 2003.

For many Masters swimmers, life happens that takes us away from our passion. This was no different for Nicki from 2003-2016. Fortunately, for Nicki and Minnesota Masters Swimming, she found her way back to the pool in 2016. She made a great comeback that year by jumping right into the 5-mile Minnetonka Challenge, which was her first competition with MS.

During her nearly 20 years of competitive swimming, she has found that what keeps her swimming is training with teammates, being coached (currently by Scott Tripps HOF class 2015), social activities, such as breakfast after a lake swim, and meeting other Masters swimmers in MN and around the country. Swimming helps her manage her stress, her health and her MS.

Nicki enjoys competing in open water swim events more than pool races.  The 2-3 mile distances in open water are her preferred races. Which would explain why “Fast Friday” sprint workouts and kicking sets are her least favorite training days. Her favorite open water competitions include Square Lake, Point to LaPonte in Lake Superior, and Big Shoulders in Lake Michigan.

Throughout her years of swimming with MN Masters some of her best memories and highlights include:

Swimming every event at the Ice Breaker meet (with the aforementioned Wayde)…just for fun and a challenge.

Swims at Cedar Lake with Paul Windrath and myself (HOF classes of 2014 and 2021) screaming as we swam over weeds and then grabbing a bite afterwards to recap the swim and plan our next outing.

In 1998, she was a member of the Women’s 4 x 200 meter freestyle relay that broke the National record for the 72-99 age group.

Just 2 months after having a baby, she worked with the committee that created all the Minnesota relays for the 1999 Long Course National Championships.

She has captured state records. Currently she holds one individual record and is a member of 6 relay records.

Last summer she went on a swim-cation with friends in Greece. No racing, just swimming in a gorgeous location.

And last year as meet director, she successfully hosted the 2024 Sprint and Long Distance Open Water Swimming Nationals Championships at Square Lake. She loved the challenge and all the preparation work and had fun meeting many people from around the country. 

This event also earned her the Dorothy Donnelly Service Award in 2024. By the way, our inductee, Pam Ogden, earned this award in 2011.

 In case you don’t know what this award is, the Dorothy Donnelly Service Award is presented annually to USMS registered individuals whose volunteer service has contributed to the growth, improvement, or success of U.S. Masters Swimming locally, regionally, and/or nationally. So yea, kind of a big deal.

At the national level, in 2023, Nicki joined the USMS Long Distance Committee.  Locally, she currently chairs the MN LMSC Open Water Committee and co-chairs the MN Hall of Fame Committee. As a certified USMS Official you may find her officiating at meets, so keep it legal.

Without people like Nicki Phillips, MN Masters swimming would not be the great program that exists today. She contributes in and out of the pool. She sees a need and graciously steps in.  Whether that is to organize events or serve on the board. At swim meets not only will she be competing, you may also find her counting for a distance swimmer, timing, officiating or doing the announcing for Tom Hodgson (HOF class of 2014) while he is swimming his events.

Her service, participation and contributions make her an outstanding inductee.

It is my great honor to welcome you into the MN Masters Swimming Hall of Fame.

Congratulations Nicki Phillips.