Lowry High School graduates Mackenzie Swecker and Andrew Hillyer were inducted into the Winnemucca High School’s Hall of Fame during halftime of the boys varsity basketball game against Truckee on Saturday, Jan. 27.
Mackenzie Swecker
Mackenzie Swecker can be regarded as one of the top female athletes in Lowry High School history.
While playing for the Buckaroo basketball team, Swecker led her team to a state championship in 2002 and a runner-up title in 2003. She was selected to all-league and all-state teams as well as being nominated to the McDonald’s All-American High School basketball team.
She made seven 3-pointers several times in her career. She made eight 3-pointers in a 62-45 win against North Tahoe in 2003. She still holds the NIAA individual career record for the 3A with 237 3-point field goals. She is sixth on the list of all classes in Nevada.
She was also an outstanding golfer. She led the Bucks to three state championships and one state runner-up title in her four-year career. As a freshman in 2000, she finished third in the state tournament.
She was the state medalist in the 3A in 2001, 2002, and 2003. There are only four golfers in Nevada women’s history to win three state championships. She continued playing golf in college at San Diego State University where she played on the varsity team for three years and earned her degree in Graphic Design.
Andrew Hillyer
Andrew Hillyer can be regarded as one of the top athletes and contributors in Lowry’s history.
While in high school, Hillyer played football, basketball and participated in track.
He was voted an all-state free safety in football after the 1980 season. He was an all-state free safety and tight end after the 1981 season. He was a captain or co-captain for the Bucks all four years he played football.
In basketball, he was voted second team all-state as a forward in 1981 and Lowry’s defensive player of the year.
In 1982, Hillyer was voted all-league first team as a forward. In track, he was a four-year varsity track letterman.
Coached by Jim Salmi, those track letters were precious. He was runner-up in the state meet in the triple jump in 1980 and ‘81. He received the Raymond Hooft award in 1982 as the student athlete of the year.
After Hillyer graduated from Lowry in 1982, he attended the University of Nevada and received his degree in pre-Physical Therapy. He continued his education at Pacific University where he received his Master’s degree in Physical Therapy in 1991.
He practiced for a year in Las Vegas before he returned to Winnemucca to take over his current practice. In 1994, Hillyer and other community members reorganized the Winnemucca Century Club.
He served in various capacities on the Century Club board of control, and is the current president. Mike Scheleen formed the Century Club in 1975 to generate money to put lights on Jerry Tobin field.
The Century Club has raised $2.3 million for Lowry athletics since its reorganization. For 27 years, Hillyer has provided and continues to provide sideline medical services to Lowry athletes.
