Valencia High swimmer Andres Burkhard signs with Adams State University
Andres Burkhard’s Adams State signing capped a record-setting run for Valencia High, where he became the school’s first state medalist in swimming.
Valencia High swimmer Andres Burkhard signed with Adams State University on May 21, giving Valencia County a rare college-bound success story in a sport that rarely gets the same spotlight as football or basketball.
Burkhard made the jump to NCAA Division II after a high school career that already changed the standard at Valencia High. He became the first swimmer from the school to medal at the New Mexico State Championships when he placed third in the 100-yard breaststroke on February 26, and the News-Bulletin described him as a multiple Valencia record holder. For younger swimmers in the county, his path now stands as proof that a strong season can turn into a college roster spot.
The signing took place with his parents, Kimberly Chavez-Burkhard and Christopher Burkhard, by his side. Burkhard said he was excited about the opportunity and pointed to Adams State’s altitude as part of the appeal, noting that training at 7,544 feet can help an endurance athlete’s conditioning. That matters in swimming, where every edge counts and where college programs often look for athletes who can handle demanding workouts and repeated travel to meets.
Adams State is in Alamosa, Colorado, and its athletics and campus materials highlight both an indoor Olympic-size swimming pool and the High Altitude Training Center. Those resources help explain why Burkhard’s decision carries weight beyond one signing day photo. He is joining a program built for serious training, and Valencia County is sending one of its most accomplished swimmers into that environment after a breakthrough season that put his name in the record book.
Burkhard has not decided on a field of study yet, so for now the focus stays on swimming and the move from Valencia High to college life. His signing adds another chapter to a spring of athlete celebrations across the valley, and it shows how much family support, school backing and years of pool work can matter when a local swimmer reaches the next level.
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