Brewster grad wins college Rookie of the Year honors

BREWSTER – It has been almost a year since Tessa Orozco graduated Brewster High School, but already the freshman at Loras College in Dubuque, Iowa, is making her mark in both academic and athletic pursuits.

While pursuing a double major in Social Work and Criminal Justice as an Honor Student, Orozco has also become a standout on the school’s swim team, winning the college’s Swimming and Diving Rookie of the Year award.

Tessa’s mother, Laura Orozco said Tessa “did very well last year. At the Liberal Arts Championship last February, she competed in four relays and three individual events.”

With Orozco in the lineup, the Duhawks finished first in the 400-yard Medley Relay, setting a new Loras College record in the process.The Duhawks placed second in the 200-year Medley, setting another school record, third in the 400-yard Free Medley, and fourth in the 800 Free Relay.

In individual competition, Orozco placed first in the 200-yard Butterfly, sixth in the 100-uard Butterfly and eighth in the 50-yard Free.

Orozco swam with the Brewster Bearacudas for eight seasons before joining the Velocity club team in Wenatchee as a high school sophomore. She joined Eastmont High School’s co-op swim team in the fall of her junior still competing for Brewster, and signed up for Running Start at Wenatchee Valley College in Omak.

Orozco graduated Brewster with her Associate of Arts degree and enrolled at Loras where she made the Honor Roll during both her fall and spring semesters.

“During Easter Break she took part in a service trip to San Diego, Calif., and Tijuana, Mexico,” said Laura. “She and the other kids helped prepare food and served the homeless in San Diego; they volunteered two days at an orphanage in Tijuana and one day at a free immigration help center.”