For immediate release
PORTLAND, Oregon (July 23) -- A repeat winner nabbed the Oregon Sports Awards’ Prep Girls Swimmer of the Year honor for the third time since 2014 on Tuesday.
This time around, it was Kaitlyn Dobler, a senior-to-be at Aloha High and the 2018 recipient of the award, whom the Oregon Sports Awards’ voting panel crowned for the second straight time. Former prep swimming stars Jamie Stone (Centennial, 2016, 2017) and Ellie Thornbrue (Century, 2014, 2015) preceded Dobler as repeat winners.
Dobler won the award over finalists Lizzy Cook (Catlin Gabel) and Lily Gardner (Sunset). Sport Oregon and NBC Sports Northwest presented Dobler with her award on “The Noe Show” with Brian Noe on Wednesday. Click here to view a behind-the-scenes look at Dobler’s time in studio.
Future single sport prep award announcements can also be heard live on KJOR Rip City Radio 620 through July 31.
Sport Oregon, which manages the Oregon Sports Awards, and NBC Sports Northwest have partnered to reveal the 2019 winners on live television throughout July.
Dobler is arguably the most talented prep swimmer the state of Oregon has produced in recent memory and one of several single sport prep award winners competing in his/her respective sport on an international stage.
She recently qualified for the 2020 U.S. Olympic Trials in the 50m freestyle and 100m breaststroke. Aloha head coach Lisa Leslie says she expects Dobler, who will swim collegiately for USC in 2020, to advance to the semifinals in the 100m breaststroke.
Dobler is ranked No. 1 in the country or 16-year-olds in the 100m breaststroke, according to USA Swimming, and took seventh for Team USA in the event at the FINA World Championships in 2018. She is the current Junior National Champion in the 100m breaststroke and made IRONMAN Official’s top-25 list of the best 18-year-old athletes in the world earlier this year.
Dobler was also tops in the 50m freestyle and 200m breaststroke for her age earlier in 2019 as well. She is ranked as the top overall swimming prospect in Oregon and No. 17 nationally by CollegeSwimming.com
Leslie says seeing Dobler compete for Team USA at the 2020 Summer Olympics in Tokyo is a stretch but thinks she’ll shine at the 2024 games in Paris.
Dobler balances swimming for Aloha and on the club scene. She blazed to individual titles in the 50-yard freestyle (22.58 seconds) and 100-yard breaststroke (1:00.98) at the 6A Swimming Championships in February. Dobler had the most NICSA power points (327) of any girls swimmer at the meet.
She won six events at the Speedo Champions Series in July 2018 at Mt. Hood Community College. In March, Dobler captured the 100-yard breaststroke title in 1:00.17 at the Speedo Champions Series and advanced to the finals in the 50-yard freestyle (2nd, 22.51 seconds), 100-yard butterfly (4th, 53.86 seconds) and 100-yard freestyle (6th, 49.82 seconds) at the meet.
Dobler is engaged in the classroom and in volunteerism. She maintains a 4.0 grade point average is an officer for Aloha’s National Honor Society and a two-time USA Swimming Scholastic All-American. Dobler allocates much of her community service toward Oregon Food Bank, Doernbecher Children’s Hospital and Aloha Junior Swim.
Award criteria and past winners
2019 Oregon Sports Awards sponsors
Presenting sponsor: HP
State Champion Sponsors: NBC Sports Northwest Nike Pamplin Media Group Portland Thorns Portland Timbers Portland Trail Blazers Providence Heath and Services Washington Trust Bank
About Sport Oregon
Sport Oregon’s mission is to drive economic growth and enhance Oregon’s quality of life through sports. Our non-profit organization has served as the state’s sports economic development arm for more than two decades, injecting more than $350 million into Oregon’s economy through sports tourism.
Supported by more than 150 annual members, Sport Oregon works relentlessly to enhance the state’s economy and quality of life by attracting sports events and franchises. Sport Oregon’s major achievements include securing the NCAA Basketball Tournament, Davis Cup World Final, multiple U.S. Figure Skating Championships, Women’s World Cup Soccer and the Dew Tour. Sport Oregon was recognized as “Sports Commission of the Year” in 2010 by the National Association of Sports Commissions. View a complete list of Past Events and Future Events.
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Brady Johnson
Sport Oregon
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