Looking at the Grand Valley State University men’s swimming records, senior Aaron Beebe’s name will stand out among the rest.

That’s because he owns nearly all of the records.

The senior co-captain made an impact as soon as he stepped on campus, setting freshman records in the 500-yard freestyle (4 minutes, 31.78 seconds) and the 200-yard butterfly (1:49.87).

In Beebe’s four years at GVSU, he’s managed to rewrite almost the entire varsity record book. He holds individual records in the 200-yard freestyle (1:36.56), 500-yard freestyle (4:30.41), 1000-yard freestyle (9:24.88), 100-yard butterfly (48.01), 200-yard butterfly (1:45.07), 200-yard individual medley (1:49.51) and the 400-yard individual medley (3:54.09).

Beebe is also a member of three record-holding relay teams: the 200-yard medley relay (1:29.64), 400-yard medley relay (3:16.97) and the 800-yard freestyle relay (6:38.29).

The decision to attend GVSU came in Beebe’s senior year at Grand Haven High School, but there were various contributing factors that went into his decision.

“I started swimming when I began in high school and I decided I would keep doing it when I was a senior in high school,” he said. “GVSU had the whole overall academic package with the scholarship, and it is close to home. Overall, it just had an atmosphere that I liked.”

Beebe has also managed to have success on the biggest stages. He is the defending GLIAC champion in the 100-yard butterfly and the 200-yard butterfly.

“It’s important to have total commitment in and out of the water,” he said. “I’ve been swimming year round for a couple of years now. If you want to have great success at anything, you have to commit yourself totally to it. So I think that’s what I’ve been able to do and really focus in.”

Head coach Andy Boyce cites Beebe’s work ethic and attention to the small details as keys for his success.

“He has great attention of detail to his stroke,” he said. “It’s very methodical and he looks at video and really focuses in on the small parts of his races. It really makes a big difference.”

Aside from being a dominant competitor, Beebe is also respected and looked up to by his peers.

“He’s one of the most humble people I’ve ever met,” said senior co-captain Sam Soukup. “It’s a true testament to his athletic ability. The stuff he’s been able to do this year has been incredible and he’s had such a level head on him the whole time. He doesn’t boast about anything and he is a very team orientated guy.”

Beebe’s success has also motivated his teammates, and he has been a role model for his teammates.

“When I see him killing stuff in the pool it fires me up and gets me excited,” Soukup said. “He does his speaking and leading by example, and he sets the tone in the pool and does a great job of showing other guys what to do day in and day out in the pool or the workroom. It’s contagious and it’s great having him on the team.

Beebe has two meets left as a Laker, the GLIAC Tournament and the NCAA Division II National Tournament, and he is hoping to go out on a high note.

“I just want to go out for the highest placing I can, and try to better my personal times,” he said. “I just want to swim faster than I have before and just finish it off right.”

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