Swarthmore College Athletics

Helen Tomlinson Gibson '41 (1920-2011) was a sports star at the College at a time when few female students garnered that distinction. Tomlinson served as captain of the Garnet field hockey, women's tennis, and women's basketball teams, excelling in each sport. Tomlinson's marquee sport was field hockey; she was a second team All-American in 1940, an All Mid-Atlantic Region performer in 1939 and 1940, and a member of the All-Philadelphia Team in 1939. Following graduation, she played for the U.S. national field hockey team for several years. On the tennis court, Tomlinson was a two-time captain and finished unbeaten during the 1941 season. On the basketball court, she was a two-time captain and the squad's leading scorer during her junior and senior seasons. Two of her daughters, Barbara '71 and Jeanne '78, attended the College.