Zoe Davies breaks own mark, emerges as swim team’s sprint breast specialist

When sophomore swimmer Zoe Davies touched the wall at the Navy Invitational on Jan. 31, she had no idea what she’d accomplished.

She broke her own record, set Nov. 21, in the 100-yard breaststroke with a time of 1:02.99, finishing second. 

She attributed the performance to calm nerves, excitement and the low-pressure environment at the meet. 

When she joined the program last year, Davies said she believed the record was within reach because it was just 0.1 seconds slower than her club team time.

Coach Rob Herb said the breakthrough was no accident.

“You know when you’re breaking your own record over and over and over again, that’s pretty significant,” Herb said. “Davies’ key component for her success in the 100-breaststroke is her turnover, her connection with her lower body and her rhythm.”  

Early in the recruitment process, Herb said Davies’ breaststroke stood out. He said she comes from a very talented swimming family, giving her a “genetic connection” to the water.

Assistant coach Adam Coffman credited technical improvements for Davies’ drop in time. He said her execution off the starting block has improved, her entry into the water is cleaner and her positioning is stronger.  

Davies said Coffman’s detail-oriented approach has played a significant role in her development. She said he places cameras in the pool and focuses on small adjustments that can help her get faster and shave time off her races.

Coffman said he adjusts Davies’ training depending on the time of year. 

At the start of the season, Davies uses racks, towers, socks and parachutes as resistance tools. As her speed builds, Coffman incorporates fins into her pool work. 

Davies said the technical shift has helped her growth as a sprinter. 

“I mean the coach I have now, (Coffman), is incredible, he’s helped me so much,” she said. “He’s helped me tap into a lot of other speed work.”

Although the women’s team is filled with talented breaststrokers, Davies has carved out a distinct role as the only specialist in the 100-yard event. She said the race suits her strengths because it emphasizes speed. 

Davies said she finds ways to keep racing after practice. 

She said she and teammate Spencer Ridge, the men’s breaststroke specialist, often turn the end of practice into a friendly competition, challenging each other off the blocks with her taking a three-second head start and him trying to catch her.

Davies first found record-breaking success in the fall of her first-year season, when she set a program record of 1:04.28 against Lafayette College. She said she felt added pressure to surpass that time. 

However, she said the last two seasons have meant more than the record books. Watching her teammates succeed has been the most meaningful part, she said, adding that while individual success is rewarding, it’s even more special when the entire team performs at a high level.

Herb said Davies brings added value beyond her races, playing a key role in energizing the team and reflecting the coaching staff’s mindset. 

“I think that (Davies) has been an amazing student athlete,” he said. “She continues to work hard, and she finds joy in the process of working and getting better. She finds great joy in (practice). But more than just finding joy in her own workouts, she finds joy in promoting other people’s success.”