Living in the same household, the Koch sisters, Julianne and Carolyn, have pushed each other enough to end up spending even more years together swimming at Lehigh.
Senior Carolyn Koch, a four-time All-Patriot League selection, holds six school records, each led the team for the third time in four years at this year’s Patriot League Championship meet with 35 points. Sophomore Julianne Koch said her sister is not only an incredible athlete, but an even better sister.
Julianne Koch, who matches her older sister with six school records, made the 2016 Second-Team All-Patriot League and the national cut in the 200 freestyle. The two competitive sisters are able to separate their competitive nature from the swimming pool and their social lives — even while being on the same team and in the same sorority, Kappa Alpha Theta.
Sophomore teammate Julia Perry admires the two sisters in how they are able to balance competing consistently in the pool and their encouraging relationship outside of the arena.
“They are really close, and it is definitely cool to be able to witness them being on the same team,” Perry said. “They bridge the team and regardless of when they are fighting, they put it aside once they step into the pool.”
Perry described her relationship closer with Julianne Koch, partially because they are in the same graduating class. She explained how the sisters each have strong, contagious personalities that compliment each other, as well as the team.
Swimming has always been a passion for the two sisters growing up in Babylon, New York. Julianne Koch said she has always looked up to her older sister as a role model and how swimming the same events has allowed them to compete harder. She said it has simultaneously helped them push each other to the next level in their competitions and grow within their relationship as sisters.
“She is my best friend,” Julianne Koch said.
Julianne Koch discussed her continued admiration for her sister and how it has affected her not only as a learner in the pool, but an overall person too. Carolyn Koch said swimming has definitely brought them closer together and has made them better competitors and friends while attending the same school.
“Julianne definitely pushes me,” Carolyn Koch said. “It’s kind of funny because for whatever reason, we have literally raced next to each other in our lanes on various occasions, and it is just so ironic, we laugh.”
Carolyn Koch admitted since she is the older sister, not wanting her little sister to beat her is definitely a motivating factor in the way she prepares for her races. Julianne Koch said she uses the same drive to swim faster.
“It’s cool because you can definitely see the natural, personal sister competition between the two, but it’s never in a way that is poorly affecting the team,” Perry said. “If anything they push each other to swim faster, which has benefited them both.”
Initially, Julianne Koch did not plan nor truly want to attend Lehigh because she wanted to go to a larger school with a stronger swimming program. Once she visited, however, her decision completely changed.
“I did not go to Lehigh solely because my sister was here too,” Julianne Koch said. “That was a definite bonus, but after I just completely loved it after my visit, I realized that it had the engineering program I was looking for. It really all just made sense.”
Carolyn Koch said she was ecstatic when she realized her sister was coming to Lehigh and said they have been so used to swimming and competing against one another that swimming in college would not be a negative contribution. The sisters agree that, if anything, they have used their situation for the better within their personal performances and for the overall team.
“My parents are definitely huge supporters,” Carolyn Koch said. “It’s nice having that support system, seeing them at our meets. Their dedication to the both of us is so great.”
Carolyn and Julianne Koch both agree attending Lehigh together and competing in the same sport on the same team has only made their sisterly bond that much stronger.
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