The Lehigh men’s and women’s swim and dive teams train side by side, differentiating the program from other collegiate sports. This tight-knit relationship breaks the traditional boundaries of friendship.
Senior swimmer Maggie Mikalic said there was a lot of negative competition at her all-girls high school.
But at Lehigh, things are different. Now, Mikalic calls her teammates and roommates her best friends.
“Coming in as a (first year), it’s nice to have a team and built in friends right from the get-go,” Mikalic said.
She said practicing together helps break up tension between the teams and creates positive energy.
Junior men’s swimmer said the men’s and women’s teams train together and often live with one another.
“That dynamic is cool because technically we’re two different teams,” Williams said. “We all push each other no matter if we’re on the boy’s team or girl’s team.”
Every September, both teams participate in the Meters for Mike charity event, a one-mile open-water swim that raises money for patients suffering from traumatic brain injuries.
The athletes all drive together to the event and eat dinner at a teammate’s house after.
“Swimming in the ocean in September is a little cold,” first-year women’s swimmer Giulia Beverini said. “I know everyone was freezing, but we carpooled there all together, so I think that was fun.”
She said since the team wasn’t really having practices at this time, having dinner together was a nice way to see everyone outside of classes and meet the upperclassmen.
Beverini said interclass relationships contribute to the team’s culture.
And the senior leaders have done a great job prioritizing team bonding. She said this has made her transition onto the team easier.
“It’s nice with classes being able to talk to upperclassmen about things,” Mikalic said. “I want to be someone who the (first years) can come to and offer any insight or help I can.”
This sense of camaraderie doesn’t end with the players, Williams said, as the coaching staff also make a positive impact on the team.
Mikalic said the team’s head coach, Rob Herb, has always been an approachable coach and resource for them.
“He likes having relationships outside of swimming,” Mikalic said. “You can talk about your classes or just anything you’re going through and he’s glad to hear it.”
Mikalic said assistant coach Mary Ellen Wydan has had a significant impact on recruiting, which is why both teams have such a strong first-year class this season.
The team also added a new assistant Adam Coffman, who Mikalic said has been helping out with tips and feedback.
The coaches set up meetings with each first-year to go over what the athlete wants to accomplish going into the season.
Mikalic said she hopes to beat Colgate this year because she’s never swam against them. She said she is also looking forward to competing in the Patriot League.
“For Patriot Leagues, I would love for the women’s team to beat Boston University because we’ve always been neck and neck with them at Patriots,” Mikalic said. “We have the opportunity to pull out above them, and that’s definitely something I’m aiming for.”
The Mountain Hawks open up their season on Oct. 18 against Rider.
Beverini said she thinks meets this season are going to be exciting because of how close the team is.
“At practice, everyone’s always cheering each other on,” Beverini said. “It’s not something that I had on my club team (in high school).”
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