While she didn’t win an NCAA Division II national championship in a backstroke event like she did as a freshman and sophomore, she did earn a number of other high-profile honors.

Helm, from Newcastle, England, was named GLIAC Swimmer of the Year for the second straight season after setting three records and winning four titles at the conference meet, then won full All-American honors in three national meet events and honorary All-American plaudits in a fourth.

That didn’t even include her participation in several successful Wildcats’ relays.

Helm set a GLIAC meet and NMU record in the 200-yard individual medley at the conference meet, then also broke the GLIAC record in the 200 backstroke. She also won the 100 back and 100 butterfly.

Northern Michigan University's Rachel Helm holds an award at the GLIAC Championships held in Cleveland in late February. (Photo courtesy NMU)

At the NCAAs, Helm earned All-American status in the 200 IM, 100 back and 200 back, adding honorably AA in the 100 fly.

NMU’s 200 medley relay with Helm, senior Regan Kilburn, junior Madelyn Irelan and sophomore Margaret Vaitkus was second at the GLIACs and was one of three Northern relays earning honorary All-American status at nationals as it broke the school record.

The other honored relays at nationals were the 200 and 400 freestyle relays, with the 400 breaking a GLIAC meet record. Each unit consisted of Helm, Vaitkus, Kilburn and sophomore Lena Soulas.

In the GLIACs, Soulas won the 50 and 100 free, Kilburn was third in the 100 back and senior Emily Bell third and sophomore Gabriella Spajic fourth in the 200 fly. In diving, senior Angela Probstfeld was second in the three-meter event.

At nationals, senior Savanna Saunders earned All-American honors in the 200 back. Getting honorary AA status was Soulas in the 100 free, Probstfeld and freshman Mary Grossman in both one- and three-meter diving and junior Jamie Kimble in three-meter diving.

Northern Michigan University's Angela Probstfeld competes in the women's three-meter diving competition against Wisconsin-Green Bay on Jan. 12 at NMU's PEIF pool. (Photo courtesy of Shannon Stieg)

During the regular season, Irelan established an NMU pool record in the 50 free, with Helm doing the same in the 100 fly, 50 and 100 breaststroke and 50 and 100 back.

With a nearly undefeated regular season, the Wildcats return quality talent, led by Helm as it will bring back an All-American and six honorary All-Americans.

Information compiled by Journal Sports Editor Steve Brownlee. His email address is sbrownlee@miningjournal.net.