Eliza Johnson’s success sets stage for championships

Before the buzzer sounds, first-year swimmer Eliza Johnson steps onto the starting block and lets out a bark. 

The bark is her superstition — a way to flip the switch into competition mode. Johnson calls herself an adrenaline swimmer and said the ritual helps heighten her focus before a race. 

During her sophomore year of high school, her club coach told her, “If you believe in yourself, then you bark behind the box and have the best time.”

The first time she tried it, Johnson said her adrenaline surged and her performance improved. 

While the superstition is relatively new, Johnson has been swimming competitively since she was 4 years old.

Johnson said she then discovered that not only was she skilled at swimming, but she had a passion for it.

“A lot of people stick with a sport because they’re good at it,” she said. “I kept swimming because I genuinely loved it.”

She continued throughout high school and with her club team, eventually drawing early recruiting interest from Lehigh. Johnson said she’d been interested in the university since her sophomore year of high school and made one of her first recruiting calls to the Mountain Hawks when the contact window opened.

Coach Rob Herb said Johnson had long been a recruiting target. 

“We always knew we wanted her here,” Herb said. “Then in her senior year, at the last minute, she had some major time drops. That only made her more appealing.”

During her official visit, senior Anushree Gate hosted Johnson. 

“Meeting her then was so nice, and seeing her doing so well now that she’s here has been great.” Gate said.

Johnson made an immediate impact in her first season. On Jan. 31 at the Navy Invitational, she won her first collegiate 50-yard freestyle in 23.81 seconds — a result she said she didn’t expect. On Feb. 3, she earned Patriot League Rookie of the Week.

Johnson said the recognition boosted her confidence in her sprint and relay events.

“If you are consistently winning relays, you are most likely consistently winning meets,” Herb said.

Although she’s most recently focused more on middle-distance races and relays at Lehigh, Johnson said she began to see more opportunities in sprint events — particularly the 50- and 100-yard freestyle — toward the end of high school. That versatility has helped shape her into a multi-event contributor. 

One of her highest-scoring performances came on Nov. 21 in the Lehigh-Lafayette meet, when she placed first in the women’s 100- and 200-yard backstroke events.

The rivalry carries added meaning for Johnson. Her sister, Natalie Johnson, is a junior on Lafayette’s swim and dive team.

“My sister and I are very close,” she said. “But we aren’t very competitive when it comes to swimming.” 

Johnson said the rivalry has become entertainment for her family, given their lighthearted relationship. Before enrolling at Lehigh, she attended the Lehigh-Lafayette meet twice to support her sister. Competing in it herself, she said, feels entirely different.

The matchup also reconnects her with her club roots. Johnson said her former club coach, James Mauck, ‘19, played an important role in her development. Herb said Mauck built a strong technical foundation for Johnson and gave the coaching staff valuable insight into her training background.

Now, Johnson is preparing for her first Patriot League Tournament, which begins Feb. 18 in Annapolis, Maryland. The postseason meet will give her the opportunity to measure her early success against the conference’s top swimmers. 

“I’m not worried about her,” Herb said. “She swims times that would score in the finals of our championship.”