Purpose, communication and toughness sum up the culture that the seniors on the Lehigh swimming and diving team have been building since they stepped foot on campus three years ago.
On Saturday, Oct. 8, the team opens up the 2016-17 season when it travels to Boston University for its first Patriot League meet.
Both the men’s and women’s teams have been working hard in the pool and in the weight room over the summer to come back in shape.
“We had a great offseason,” coach Rob Herb said. “We had a lot of people working very hard this summer on their own and during their internships and things like that.”
Herb said conditioning needed to be better than it was last year, and the team came back this fall in great shape.
In preparation for the start of the season, Lehigh had their annual Brown and White meet Sept. 30. Herb was really pleased with the results.
“We had a really good Brown and White meet, so we are very positive about where we are at right now,” Herb said. “We have a lot of confidence going into this meet.”
The women’s team has added 10 talented freshmen that make up almost half the team. They’ve already bought into the program and will elevate the program in the future. After a fifth place finish in the Patriot League last season, senior Cora Summerfield expects a stronger finish from the women’s team this season.
“We hold each other accountable to put 110 percent into every practice so we can get third in the Patriots this year,” Summerfield said. “Our goal is to have everyone who goes to Patriots place top 16 in the events they swim.”
Summerfield has seen the program grow in her three years at Lehigh.
“During my time here I have seen three Patriot League champions swim, so many records broken I can’t even count them, and four people make Olympic Trials,” she said.
On the men’s side, seniors Justin White and Jamal Willis will lead the way. The two competed this past summer in the Olympic Trials and gained experience they’ve brought back to Lehigh.
“The Olympic Trials were a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity,” White said. “They made me so excited to come back to school and get back to work with the team.”
The men’s team wants to finish top five in the league and continue to lay the foundation of team culture for a future championship team.
As a senior, White has been soaking everything in since the end of last season and has been enjoying the sport he loves.
“I want to be part of a winning relay this year,” White said.
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