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Friends of Nanook Swimming

Welcome to the Friends of Nanook Swimming Page! If you're a fan of swimming and especially college swimming, you'll want to become a member of our Booster Club.

Click here to print a copy of our membership form.

Welcome Mia Costello, new President of the Friends of Nanook Swimming! Mia takes over for former Nanook All-American swimmer, Andre' Layral. Andre' was this group's inaugural President. Coach Lemley says "I know Mia will be a huge asset to our new program helping foster recognition for swimming at the collegiate level, spearheading fundraising efforts and building strong community relations between the team and individuals and businesses in Fairbanks and North Pole."

Mia started competing at the age of 7 representing the Anchorage Aquanauts Swim Club. She eventually held fifteen (15) Alaska Age Group State Records graduating with honors from West Anchorage High School in 1986. She was a two-time High School All-American, was undefeated as a high school swimmer in her signature events – the 200 yard Individual Medley and 100 yard Breaststroke – and was the Alaska State High School Female Swimmer-of-the-Year in both her junior and senior years.

Ironically, the most memorable swim of her high school career came as a senior against one of Coach Lemley’s best high school swimmers, freshman phenom Sarah Rabinowitz. Coach Lemley was West Valley’s Head Swim Coach from 1979 – 1991. Mia was on track to become the first 4-time double state champion in Alaska high school history. Though dominant in the 100 yard Breaststroke all season long, her own coach advised her not to swim the 200 yard IM at the state championships her senior year knowing Rabinowitz, a nationally ranked swimmer from the age of 10, had a faster time and was likely to beat her. Coach Lemley recently reflected back on the race saying, “Fortunately, one of Mia’s greatest strengths has been an unshakable confidence in her own ability. She decided not to switch events, preferring to embrace the challenge of swimming against Sarah, thus setting up one of the greatest races in Alaska swimming history.”

Rabinowitz had the fastest qualifying time after the preliminary heats. During that evening’s final, she took her race out fast and was a body length ahead of Mia at the halfway point. Hundreds of spectators were on their feet screaming when Mia caught Rabinowitz at the end of the breaststroke leg. The two girls then went stroke for stroke the last 50 yards with Mia finally prevailing, 2:09.50 to 2:09.54. Twenty years later, long time members of the state’s swimming community still talk about that match up as one of the most exciting races they’ve ever witnessed.

Mia and Coach Lemley’s paths had crossed before when he coached the 1982 Alaska All-Star Swim Team. Mia was a member of that team when they competed at the Western Zone Championships in Richland, Washington. She won the 100 and 200 meter Breaststrokes with times qualifying her for the Junior National Championships. In 1983, Mia competed at Junior Nationals finishing in second place in the 200 yard Breaststroke and fourth place in the 100 yard Breaststroke. She became the first Alaskan swimmer to final at the Junior National level. In 1984, Mia competed at her first United States Senior National Swimming Championship becoming the first Alaskan swimmer to compete at that level. In 1985, Mia finaled at Senior Nationals, finishing 8th in the 100 meter Breaststroke and 13th in the 200 meter Breaststroke. She established herself as one of the top breaststrokers in the United States ranking 24th in the World in the 100 meter Breaststroke that year.

Mia enrolled at Harvard University in the fall of 1986 and graduated four years later with a Bachelor of Arts in Government. She was part of the Crimson Women’s Swim Team which posted a 27-9 dual meet record from 1986-1990. Mia was Co-Captain during the 1989-90 season. She was the first Harvard swimmer to become an Ivy League Swimming Champion with her wins in the 100 yard Breaststroke in 1987 and 1988 and in the 200 yard Breaststroke in 1988. In 1988, Mia earned NCAA All-American honors in the 100 and 200 yard Breaststrokes and 200 and 400 yard Medley Relays.

In the summer of 1988, Mia and Coach Lemley once again crossed paths when Mia traveled with Coach Lemley and former Nanook All-American swimmer, Andrew Billings, to the United States Olympic Trials in Austin, Texas. Mia and Andrew were the first swimmers in Alaska Swimming history to compete at this level.

After graduating from Harvard, Mia worked for the Alaska Communications Division for Governor Wally Hickle from 1990 to 1994. The next two years found her working for Representative Norm Rokeberg of Anchorage as his legislative aide. In the spring of 1997, Mia obtained her Masters of Arts in Teaching from University of Alaska Southeast and taught History/Social Studies at Juneau-Douglas High School until 1999. Mia was sought out by the Communications firm of Bradley-Reid in Anchorage to work as their Account Executive from fall of 1999 to the summer of 2001. In 2001, she went back to teaching History/Social Studies at her alma mater West Anchorage High School. Two years later, then United States Senator Frank Murkowski, sought out Mia to become his Deputy Communications Director should he be elected Governor in November, 2003. She worked for Governor Murkowski until last month when she moved back to Fairbanks with her husband, Andrew Billings.

Mia’s current goal is to be a stay at home mom with her two year old son, Andrew John, and NEW BABY, Matthew Roman. Her husband, Andrew, works for Everts Air Cargo in Fairbanks.

This summer, Mia became the 5th female swimmer to be inducted into the Harvard Varsity Club Athletic Hall of Fame.