Crossroads News
Crossroads Athletics Hosts All-American Swim and Dive Ceremony
The event commemorated the achievement of two of the School’s trailblazing athletes.
On Jan. 6, the Athletics Department welcomed generations of Crossroads swimmers and divers to the Norton Campus pool to celebrate the achievement of two alumni athletes, Katrina Mortenson ’21 and Dash Glasberg ’22. In 2019, both were designated All Americans by the National Interscholastic Swim Coaches Association. The ceremony, hosted by Athletics Director Ira Smith and Swim Coach Tara Shima, paid homage to the athletes’ incredible high school accomplishments, which were disrupted because of the pandemic.
“To have survived that pandemic and to still have come out D1 athletes?” said Tara. “It took something far more than usual. As hard as it is for the one percent that make it to the D1 level, it was even harder for these kids.”
By the end of eighth grade, Katrina held three individual records and two relay records that all still stand to this day. As a ninth grader, Katrina set Pacific Basin League records in the 50- and 100-meter freestyle, finishishing 18th and 15th in the state championship meet for each event, respectively. As a sophomore, Katrina again qualified for State where she broke the 50 second mark in the 100-meter freestyle, making her the fourth fastest female high school athlete in that event (and 37th-fastest in the nation). In addition to being ranked 73rd in the nation for her 50-meter freestyle time, her academic performance earned her an All-American scholastic award. Her junior and senior year of competition (including Olympic trials) were cut short by the pandemic, but her talents piqued the interest of a large number of Division 1 schools. Katrina ultimately chose to attend Harvard University.
As a ninth-grader, Dash was the first diver to compete for Crossroads in the School’s history, at the Mission Viejo Invitational. He performed 11 dives off the one-meter board, consistently earning top-10 finishes with four of his 11 rounds placing him as the second highest scorer He finished third at the Pasadena Poly Invitational where he topped off an impressive lineup of difficult dives with an inward two somersault tuck. Dash finished third at CIF with his freshman year performance earning him All American accolades. Despite having his training schedule interrupted by the pandemic, in 2021 he was able to compete in the Junior Regional 12 championships where he won the boys 16-18 platform event (earning a silver medal in the same event the following year). Dash is currently diving as a redshirt senior at Indiana University.
As a ninth-grader, Dash was the first diver to compete for Crossroads in the School’s history, at the Mission Viejo Invitational. He performed 11 dives off the one-meter board, consistently earning top-10 finishes with four of his 11 rounds placing him as the second highest scorer He finished third at the Pasadena Poly Invitational where he topped off an impressive lineup of difficult dives with an inward two somersault tuck. Dash finished third at CIF with his freshman year performance earning him All American accolades. Despite having his training schedule interrupted by the pandemic, in 2021 he was able to compete in the Junior Regional 12 championships where he won the boys 16-18 platform event (earning a silver medal in the same event the following year). Dash is currently diving as a redshirt senior at Indiana University.
Katrina and Dash were the first members of the Crossroads Swim and Dive Team to be named All American; their legacy will continue to inspire future generations of Roadrunner athletes.
“Not only did these two do what a tiny fraction of those competitors in their sport have been able to achieve, but they both accomplished this early in their high school careers,” marveled Tara. “May those who follow know the same drive, sportsmanship and tenacity that Katrina and Dash demonstrated throughout their time as Roadrunners and beyond.”
