Howard University's swim and dive team is special for several reasons, including:
All-Black
Howard is the only historically Black college in the United States with a swim and dive team. The team includes coaches and supporting staff.
Role model
The team is a beacon of Black swimming for the country. It's a pipeline for high-caliber competitive Black swimmers.
Mission
The team's mission is to:
Dispel the myth that Black people don't swim
Show that Black people can swim very well
Inspire people to take the dive
Learn to Swim program
The team's Learn to Swim program includes parents, alumni, students, and kids age 3 to 11. The program helps create a fanbase and audience for the team.
Media attention
The team has been featured in Sports Illustrated and covered by ABC News.
Awards
The team has won several awards, including:
2023 Northeast Conference Men's Swimming and Diving champions
Northeast Conference's Swimming Staff of the Year award
Outstanding Dive Staff
The Illinois College swim and dive team competes in the Midwest Conference. The team has had some notable achievements, including:
Inductions into the Chi Alpha Sigma National College Athlete Honor Society
A mixed gender 200 Medley relay at a regular season dual meet
A 200 IM win by Camille Abadie
A 200 Free lifetime best time by Kannon Gill
A 100 Back win by Avery Hanson
A 1-meter diving first place by Cooper Meyer
A 200-yard butterfly second place by James Hammond
A 200-yard medley relay second place
History
Monmouth College has a long history of swimming excellence, including Olympic gold medal winners. The 1974 men's and women's swimming teams were recognized as teams of distinction at the Monmouth Athletics Hall of Fame Dinner.
Natatorium
The natatorium is named after Coach Richard Steadman, who was a member of the swimming program and is in the Athletics Hall of Fame.
Scholarships
Information about scholarships and programs for both the men's and women's swimming teams is available on the Monmouth College website.
Support staff
The support staff for the women's swimming and diving team includes:
Bob Foster: Head Athletic Trainer
Neil Mecagni '11: Equipment Manager
Nathan Baliva: Sports Information Director
Some recent news about the men's swimming team includes:
Dyson was named CAA Swimmer of the Week
Monmouth earned CSCAA Academic All-America Team Recognition