Dvdaya Swimmer, seated second from right, a member of the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians and a senior at Cherokee High School, signs a letter of intent, during a ceremony at the Charles George Memorial Arena in Cherokee, N.C. on the morning of Tuesday, Dec. 2, to run cross country and track and field at the University of Hawai’i. She is shown with her family, left to right, seated – Uweluga Swimmer, brother; Carrah Swimmer, mother; Dvdaya; Micah Swimmer, father; standing – Ogana Swimmer, brother; and Tsu-la Howlingcrane, brother. (SCOTT MCKIE B.P./One Feather photos)
By SCOTT MCKIE B.P.
One Feather Asst. Editor
CHEROKEE, N.C. – Dvdaya Swimmer, a member of the Tsalagi Anata Anitsvyasdi (Cherokee Lady Braves) cross country and track and field teams, is about to take her running career to the Aloha State. She signed a letter of intent, during a ceremony on Tuesday, Dec. 2 at the Charles George Memorial Arena in Cherokee, N.C., to run cross country and track and field at the University of Hawai’i which competes in the NCAA Division I Big West Conference.
Swimmer, a member of the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians from Aniwodihi (Painttown), said of her reaction upon knowing she would be signing, “When I got the phone call, I was so happy, excited, and overall just grateful for the opportunity. After visiting Hawai’i in mid-August, I knew then that I could see myself out there. I remember joking around with my teammates about attending the university to run, but deep down, I truly felt I could make that happen.”
She enjoyed her visit to Hawai’i and one aspect really stuck out. “If I could pinpoint one thing that drew me to Hawai’i, I would say it was the rich culture they have. I definitely saw parallels with theirs and ours and I was interested in learning more about it.”
On her education plans at the university, she commented, “I plan on doing Indigenous Studies in hopes of learning more about their culture as well as other cultures, and how it can apply to our culture. My doda (father) has inspired me to go down that career path and seeing how knowledgeable he is I am motivated to get a master just like him. After I obtain my education, my future career goals would be to work alongside my doda and focus on our language and culture.”
Swimmer finishes her high school career as the most decorated runner in CHS school history. She started with a state cross country title in her freshman year (2022) which was the first in school history. Swimmer also won many honors as a part of the Tsalagi Anata Anitsvyasdi volleyball team and basketball team including winning two state titles (2023-24, 2024-25) with the latter.
Following are her main cross country statistics during high school:
- Smoky Mountain Conference Championship (All-Conference 2022, 2023, 2024, and 2025)
- 2022, champion
- 2023, champion
- 2024, third place
- 2025, second place
- Regional Championship Meet (1A All-Regional 2022, 2023, 2024; 2A All-Regional 2025)
- 2022, 1A West champion
- 2023, 1A West champion
- 2024, 1A West fifth place
- 2025, 2A West fourth place
- State Championship Meet (1A All-State 2022, 2023, 2024; 2A All-State 2025)
- 2022, 1A champion
- 2023, 1A second place
- 2024, 1A fifth place
- 2025, 2A fourth place
She also competed in track and field in the 800M and 1600M in the 2023 and 2024 seasons. Following are her statistics:
- Smoky Mountain Conference Championship (All-Conference 2023, 2024 in 800M and 1600M)
- 2023, 800M second place, 1600M second place
- 2024, 800M champion, 1600M second place
- 1A West Regional Championship Meet (1A West All-Regional 2023, 2024 in 800M and 1600M)
- 2023, 800M champion, 1600M second place
- 2024, 800M second place, 1600M second place
- State Championship Meet (All-State 2023 in 800M and 1600M and 2024 in 800M)
- 2023, 800M champion, 1600M second place
- 2024, 800M second place
When looking back at her career, Swimmer noted, “Cross country was always something that was consistent for me. When I would be having a not so good day, and or thinking I was doing bad in my other sport. I would just go on a run to clear my head. I always felt better after, and I have never regretted a run that I didn’t plan on doing.”
She began running cross country as a way to stay in shape for basketball. “Then, I realized I was actually pretty decent at it.”
Swimmer notes that winning the 1A state title as a freshman was the highlight of her cross country career. “Coming in as a freshmen, winning an individual state title, making history for CHS and doing it all while having the best support system is something I will forever be thankful for. I was given the opportunity to run and it became one of my biggest blessings.”
Dvdaya Swimmer repeated as the 1A West Regional girls cross country champion in a meet at Kituwah on the morning of Saturday, Oct. 28, 2023. She finished the race with a time of 17:55.37.
Ahli-sha Stephens, CHS head cross country and track coach, knew from the first time she saw her that there was something special. “When Daya started running in 6th grade I knew she was a natural. It has been an honor watching her grow in the sport of running and competing. I knew in her early years she had it in her to make it to the next level in multiple sports.”
She added, “I’m extremely humble to be a small part of her journey, we spent many hours on the trail, track and parking lots together over the past 6 years. Watching her put in the work and accomplishing all she deserved. Her work ethic and mindset sets her apart.”
Coach Stephens said she is extremely excited for Swimmer and the new opportunities that will arise. “Running is more about mentality, and a strong mindset will set anyone up for success. Daya demonstrates all those qualities. My piece of advice I remind her of often. If you are the smartest, most athletic, fastest person in the room – leave. Go to another room where you are not and are surrounded by people who are smarter, work harder and faster; go there because that is the room where you will be influenced and you will grow. Dvdaya is ready for the next stage, and I wish her the best. Cherokee representation matters, and Cherokee will be represented well in Hawai’i!”
When asked what are some of her favorite things about the sport of cross country, Swimmer noted, “There are many things I love about cross country, but a few of my favorite things are the rewarding feeling of winning, getting a pr, and finishing a hard workout. Another thing I loved was long runs with my teammates this past year. Throughout my high school career I never really had a team, but this past year we had a solid squad, and we would go on long runs, listen to music and chat if we were going slow enough. At the end of the day, I am most thankful for my parents always being there when I finished every race. Out of all the things I mentioned, that feeling of knowing you’ve done your best and gave it your all then seeing the proud faces of my parents is most definitely my favorite thing about cross country.”
Carrah Swimmer, Dvdaya’s mother, praised her daughter’s tenacity. “Her work ethic has always been elite and, honestly, came pretty easy to her when she was small. A lot of her friends played on her teams so time and social events didn’t affect her. As she got older, she noticed a lot of her friends slipping away, a really tough time for her. Then, COVID hit and the ability to go to practice hit hard. That’s when she started to work on her own.
Every day she would shoot ball, dribble, pass volleyball, or run. There was never a day that she would just do absolutely nothing. The shutdown took a huge toll on her mental health, she had to be doing something productive, being an athlete helped. As she entered high school her drive completely changed. As she entered high school her drive and work ethic just took off. She noticed that some people were against who she was as an athlete and began to pay attention to how people talked about her. That was also a tough time, but that ultimately was the driving factor.”
Carrah added, “She absolutely loved proving anyone wrong, me included. Her size never stopped her, and she knew she would have to work three times harder because of her size. I have always boasted, but she is humble. She knows in a split of a second it could all be taken away. She has such a huge understanding of who she is and what her role is in this life. She knows God has given her these blessings and he can take it away. She gives her absolute best in everything she does.”
Dvdaya wishes to thank some people who helped her along her way. “I want to take this opportunity to thank my parents for everything they have done for me, for every sacrifice, every late night, every early morning, every quiet act of love that I didn’t always notice but have always felt. You’ve supported me in everything I do in life, stood by me when things were hard, and celebrated every win, big or small. Your guidance, patience, and belief in me have shaped who I am today, and I am endlessly grateful for the values you’ve taught me and the strength you’ve helped me build. I wouldn’t be where I am without you, and no matter how far I go, I carry your love with me in everything I do. Thank you for being my foundation, my motivation, and my biggest supporters, and for never being as hard on me as people assumed you were, for always understanding me in ways others didn’t see, and supporting every decision I always chose to make. You let me grow at my own pace, trusted me, and guided me without ever making me feel pressured or unheard. I’m truly grateful for the way you raised me and for the compassion you showed when no one else knew the full story. Gv Ge Yu.”
