Men's Swimming and Diving Senior Reflections
1/29/2015 3:08:00 PM | Men's Swimming and Diving
BETHLEHEM, Pa. – The Lehigh swimming and diving team will host its final home meet of the season Saturday when the Mountain Hawks welcome the Drexel Dragons to Jacobs Pool. Diving events will begin at 10 a.m. with swimming to follow at 1 p.m. Saturday's meet will be Lehigh's final tune-up before next month's Patriot League Championships, and the final home meet for Lehigh's 13 member senior class.
Lehighsports.com caught up with the nine men's swimming and diving seniors prior to their final home meet.
Dan Bateman – Dive – Rutland, Mass. – Mechanical Engineering
Career highlights: scored in both the one and three meter diving events at three Patriot League Championships… Lehigh's Outstanding Diver of the Year in 2013 and 2014… two-time member of the Patriot League Academic Honor Roll.
What's your favorite Lehigh Swimming and Diving memory up until this point? Why?
DB: My favorite memory is probably the Lehigh Lafayette meet my freshman year. I had a great meet, all of the divers did, and the energy in the pool later that day during the swimming events was really something else.
What legacy would you like to leave at Lehigh?
DB: I came here to have fun and dive for this incredible team, which is exactly what I did. I suppose I would like to be remembered for that.
Describe the relationship with your fellow seniors.
DB: The other seniors are great teammates who I can really rely on.
What will you miss most about Lehigh swimming and diving?
DB: The thing I will miss the most is the challenge that diving for this team provides.
What are your postgraduate plans?
DB: I plan to pursue a Master's degree in mechanical engineering, hopefully out in Colorado, but we'll see where I get accepted.
Danny Bennett – Freestyle – Marlton, N.J. – Supply Chain Management
Career highlights: second team All-Patriot League in 2012 and 2013… member of school record-holding 800 free relay team… Jacobs Pool record holder in 500 free and 800 free relay… Lehigh Male Freshman Swimmer of the Year in 2012… Lehigh Swimming Coaches Award in 2014.
What's your favorite Lehigh Swimming and Diving memory up until this point? Why?
DB: The Lehigh-Lafayette rivalry. The energy and excitement of the rivalry is unlike any other meet.
What legacy would you like to leave at Lehigh?
DB: As a hard trainer who pushed guys in practice every day, encouraging a racing atmosphere.
Describe the relationship with your fellow seniors.
DB: A brotherly bond. We have been through a total program reform and stuck together throughout the four years.
What will you miss most about Lehigh swimming and diving?
DB: The incredibly fun Lehigh swimming and diving traditions.
What are your postgraduate plans?
DB: Working in the supply chain management industry.
Sean Brant – Back – Severna Park, Md. – Finance
Career highlights: competed in backstroke and 200 IM at three Patriot League Championships… Academic All-Patriot League selection in 2014… three-time member of Patriot League Academic Honor Roll… Lehigh Most Improved Male Swimmer in 2012… Lehigh Swimming Scholar-Athlete in 2014.
What's your favorite Lehigh Swimming and Diving memory up until this point? Why?
SB: Through my four years on the team, my favorite memory is the Lehigh-Lafayette rivalry. The swim meet always falls the night before the football game, and it is awesome to be a part of the tradition of Lehigh-Lafayette week. The team always comes together and swims extremely fast and it is also great to see all of our alumni and friends come to support us. This year was especially unique with the meet being held in New York.
What legacy would you like to leave at Lehigh?
SB: I'd like to be remembered as a hard worker who was always able to make the best out of any situation.
Describe the relationship with your fellow seniors.
SB: My fellow seniors are some of my closest friends. Our entire class works extremely well together and I couldn't imagine the past four years without them.
What will you miss most about Lehigh swimming and diving?
SB: I'll miss my teammates the most. Our team is an extremely close team, and I have formed great friendships with every member of the team. It will be very hard not spending 20+ hours a week with my closest friends.
What are your postgraduate plans?
SB: Working! I'll be working at Duff & Phelps in Morristown, N.J.
Chris Campbell – Butterfly – Mount Laurel, N.J. – Architecture
Career highlights: Lehigh's Most Improved Men's Swimmer in 2014… two-time member of the Patriot League Academic Honor Roll… involved in Lehigh Athletic Department's Student-Athlete Council (SAC), Student-Athletes Leading Social Change (SALSC) and Student-Athlete Mentors (SAM).
What's your favorite Lehigh Swimming and Diving memory up until this point? Why?
CC: My favorite memory was the Lehigh-Lafayette meet this year in N.Y. It's always fun seeing past swimmers who have graduated and it was incredible to meet Olympians Rowdy Gaines, Brendan Hansen, and Mel Stewart. We also shaved and tapered for the meet this year and it was awesome to see everyone swim so well.
What legacy would you like to leave at Lehigh?
CC: I hope that my teammates remember me as a good friend who helped make their experience more fun and enjoyable.
Describe the relationship with your fellow seniors.
CC: We are all real close and have a lot of fun together. I couldn't ask for a better group of guys and I'm going to miss them a lot next year.
What will you miss most about Lehigh swimming and diving?
CC: Jacob Moyar
What are your postgraduate plans?
CC: I plan on attending graduate school to receive my Master's degree in Architecture.
Owen Dunbar – Freestyle – Wyoming, Ohio – Industrial and Systems Engineering
Career highlights: competed in sprint freestyle events in 2013 and 2014 Patriot League Championships… member of Jacobs Pool record-holding 800 free relay team… named to the Patriot League Academic Honor Roll in 2012.
What's your favorite Lehigh Swimming and Diving memory up until this point? Why?
OD: My favorite LU Swimming & Diving memory would be seeing Courtney Patterson become a Patriot League Champion at the 2014 Patriot League Championship meet. She is a true testament that hard work does pay off.
What legacy would you like to leave at Lehigh?
OD: I would like to be remembered as always being supportive of my teammates in practice and meets.
Describe the relationship with your fellow seniors.
OD: My fellow senior swimmers are great people who have a lot of potential to be successful individuals outside of swimming.
What will you miss most about Lehigh swimming and diving?
OD: I will miss the camaraderie among my teammates and being in the best shape of my life.
What are your postgraduate plans?
OD: My number one priority is to get a job and hopefully be able to walk or bike to work. If everything goes really well I will drive my Porsche on the weekends.
Jake Greene – Freestyle/IM – Darien, Conn. – Chemical Engineering
Career highlights: competed in distance freestyle and IM events at three Patriot League Championships… finished ninth (won B final) in 200 and 400 IM in 2014 Patriot League Championships… reached A final of 400 IM in 2013.
What's your favorite Lehigh Swimming and Diving memory up until this point? Why?
JG: My favorite Lehigh Swimming memory is definitely the Lehigh-Lafayette swim meet each year. Its just such an awesome event and we get so much support from our alumni and other teams and the meet itself just has this electricity to it that makes everyone swim that much faster. The meet being in New York this year with Rowdy Gaines and SwimSwam there made it feel like a huge stage as well.
What legacy would you like to leave at Lehigh?
JG: I would like to leave Lehigh with the same legacy the team tries to live by; namely working hard every day from both an academic and athletic standpoint. I would like to be remembered as someone who always worked as hard as possible to succeed, and pushed people around me to do the same.
Describe the relationship with your fellow seniors.
JG: The senior men graduating with me are the best friends i have at this school. We've spent the last four years together and gotten to know one another really well. There isn't a group of guys i would have rather spent the last 4 years training and enjoying college with together.
What will you miss most about Lehigh swimming and diving?
JG: I will definitely miss the ability to actually race on a team the most from my experience. Although I'm one of a few guys who actually likes to train as well, competing is much more exciting. I'll still be able to come back and watch everybody swim fast, but its a totally different feeling when you are on the pool deck watching them and cheering them on.
What are your postgraduate plans?
JG: Right now my plan is to head into the working world with a degree in Bio-molecular and Chemical Engineering, however, I do not have a set position anywhere at this time.
Tim Parsons – Freestyle – Belle Meade, N.J. – Bioengineering
Career highlights: competes in distance freestyle and IM events… three-time member of the Patriot League Academic Honor Roll.
What's your favorite Lehigh Swimming and Diving memory up until this point? Why?
TP: Junior year Lehigh/Lafayette meet. Lafayette came in suited up and tapered, we responded with just about everybody throwing down best in-season times if not career best times. The atmosphere was unbelievable.
What legacy would you like to leave at Lehigh?
TP: Setting high goals and never settling.
Describe the relationship with your fellow seniors.
TP: Our class was lucky in that we had a large class, ultimately ending up with 9 graduating seniors. They all know me better than just about anybody else at Lehigh.
What will you miss most about Lehigh swimming and diving?
TP: Throwing down for the better of the team. It's tough to come by a group of individuals that you'd be compelled to do just about anything for if it meant they bettered from it.
What are your postgraduate plans?
TP: I will be attending Temple Dental School in fall 2015.
Eric Sherwood – Freestyle – Landisville, Pa. – Mechanical Engineering
Career highlights: Member of school and Jacobs Pool record-holding 800 free relay teams… scored in the 500 free at last two Patriot League Championships… two-time member of the Patriot League Academic Honor Roll.
What's your favorite Lehigh Swimming and Diving memory up until this point? Why?
ES: Any of the Lehigh-Lafayette swim meets, especially the ones that were held at Lehigh (our freshman and junior years). The energy in the building during these meets was an indescribable experience. Also happy to have beaten Lafayette all four of my years and continue the winning streak.
What legacy would you like to leave at Lehigh?
ES: I hope my teammates viewed me as a strong motivator, great friend, and a resilient competitor.
Describe the relationship with your fellow seniors.
ES: My fellow seniors are a family away from home for me. We have all become very close over the past four years and I'm sure we'll keep in contact for many years to come.
What will you miss most about Lehigh swimming and diving?
ES: Either eating breakfast with the men's team after morning practice, or taking part in all of the Lehigh Swimming and Diving traditions.
What are your postgraduate plans?
ES: I am going to be working out of Philadelphia as a consultant for IBM.
Michael Wheaton – IM – Middletown, N.J. – Finance/Accounting
Career highlights: competed in 200 and 400 IM and 200 fly at last two Patriot League Championships… finished tenth in 200 fly at Patriot League Championships as a sophomore.
What's your favorite Lehigh Swimming and Diving memory up until this point? Why?
MW: Lehigh-Lafayette my senior year in New York. Everyone swam fast and it was great to have continued the tradition of beating Lafayette for my final year.
What legacy would you like to leave at Lehigh?
MW: A natural leader who believes in living life to the fullest. Being a total bro. And someone who understood the necessity of hard work and giving your all.
Describe the relationship with your fellow seniors.
MW: The senior guys are some of my best friends and I think that relationship will continue after college.
What will you miss most about Lehigh swimming and diving?
MW: The certain underclass men that I became good friends with along with the d-squad and all the fun times we had together at practice.
What are your postgraduate plans?
MW: Becoming a famous actor and/or musician. And if that doesn't work out then off to law school and then possible government offices.
Lehighsports.com caught up with the nine men's swimming and diving seniors prior to their final home meet.
Dan Bateman – Dive – Rutland, Mass. – Mechanical Engineering
Career highlights: scored in both the one and three meter diving events at three Patriot League Championships… Lehigh's Outstanding Diver of the Year in 2013 and 2014… two-time member of the Patriot League Academic Honor Roll.
What's your favorite Lehigh Swimming and Diving memory up until this point? Why?
DB: My favorite memory is probably the Lehigh Lafayette meet my freshman year. I had a great meet, all of the divers did, and the energy in the pool later that day during the swimming events was really something else.
What legacy would you like to leave at Lehigh?
DB: I came here to have fun and dive for this incredible team, which is exactly what I did. I suppose I would like to be remembered for that.
Describe the relationship with your fellow seniors.
DB: The other seniors are great teammates who I can really rely on.
What will you miss most about Lehigh swimming and diving?
DB: The thing I will miss the most is the challenge that diving for this team provides.
What are your postgraduate plans?
DB: I plan to pursue a Master's degree in mechanical engineering, hopefully out in Colorado, but we'll see where I get accepted.
Danny Bennett – Freestyle – Marlton, N.J. – Supply Chain Management
Career highlights: second team All-Patriot League in 2012 and 2013… member of school record-holding 800 free relay team… Jacobs Pool record holder in 500 free and 800 free relay… Lehigh Male Freshman Swimmer of the Year in 2012… Lehigh Swimming Coaches Award in 2014.
What's your favorite Lehigh Swimming and Diving memory up until this point? Why?
DB: The Lehigh-Lafayette rivalry. The energy and excitement of the rivalry is unlike any other meet.
What legacy would you like to leave at Lehigh?
DB: As a hard trainer who pushed guys in practice every day, encouraging a racing atmosphere.
Describe the relationship with your fellow seniors.
DB: A brotherly bond. We have been through a total program reform and stuck together throughout the four years.
What will you miss most about Lehigh swimming and diving?
DB: The incredibly fun Lehigh swimming and diving traditions.
What are your postgraduate plans?
DB: Working in the supply chain management industry.
Sean Brant – Back – Severna Park, Md. – Finance
Career highlights: competed in backstroke and 200 IM at three Patriot League Championships… Academic All-Patriot League selection in 2014… three-time member of Patriot League Academic Honor Roll… Lehigh Most Improved Male Swimmer in 2012… Lehigh Swimming Scholar-Athlete in 2014.
What's your favorite Lehigh Swimming and Diving memory up until this point? Why?
SB: Through my four years on the team, my favorite memory is the Lehigh-Lafayette rivalry. The swim meet always falls the night before the football game, and it is awesome to be a part of the tradition of Lehigh-Lafayette week. The team always comes together and swims extremely fast and it is also great to see all of our alumni and friends come to support us. This year was especially unique with the meet being held in New York.
What legacy would you like to leave at Lehigh?
SB: I'd like to be remembered as a hard worker who was always able to make the best out of any situation.
Describe the relationship with your fellow seniors.
SB: My fellow seniors are some of my closest friends. Our entire class works extremely well together and I couldn't imagine the past four years without them.
What will you miss most about Lehigh swimming and diving?
SB: I'll miss my teammates the most. Our team is an extremely close team, and I have formed great friendships with every member of the team. It will be very hard not spending 20+ hours a week with my closest friends.
What are your postgraduate plans?
SB: Working! I'll be working at Duff & Phelps in Morristown, N.J.
Chris Campbell – Butterfly – Mount Laurel, N.J. – Architecture
Career highlights: Lehigh's Most Improved Men's Swimmer in 2014… two-time member of the Patriot League Academic Honor Roll… involved in Lehigh Athletic Department's Student-Athlete Council (SAC), Student-Athletes Leading Social Change (SALSC) and Student-Athlete Mentors (SAM).
What's your favorite Lehigh Swimming and Diving memory up until this point? Why?
CC: My favorite memory was the Lehigh-Lafayette meet this year in N.Y. It's always fun seeing past swimmers who have graduated and it was incredible to meet Olympians Rowdy Gaines, Brendan Hansen, and Mel Stewart. We also shaved and tapered for the meet this year and it was awesome to see everyone swim so well.
What legacy would you like to leave at Lehigh?
CC: I hope that my teammates remember me as a good friend who helped make their experience more fun and enjoyable.
Describe the relationship with your fellow seniors.
CC: We are all real close and have a lot of fun together. I couldn't ask for a better group of guys and I'm going to miss them a lot next year.
What will you miss most about Lehigh swimming and diving?
CC: Jacob Moyar
What are your postgraduate plans?
CC: I plan on attending graduate school to receive my Master's degree in Architecture.
Owen Dunbar – Freestyle – Wyoming, Ohio – Industrial and Systems Engineering
Career highlights: competed in sprint freestyle events in 2013 and 2014 Patriot League Championships… member of Jacobs Pool record-holding 800 free relay team… named to the Patriot League Academic Honor Roll in 2012.
What's your favorite Lehigh Swimming and Diving memory up until this point? Why?
OD: My favorite LU Swimming & Diving memory would be seeing Courtney Patterson become a Patriot League Champion at the 2014 Patriot League Championship meet. She is a true testament that hard work does pay off.
What legacy would you like to leave at Lehigh?
OD: I would like to be remembered as always being supportive of my teammates in practice and meets.
Describe the relationship with your fellow seniors.
OD: My fellow senior swimmers are great people who have a lot of potential to be successful individuals outside of swimming.
What will you miss most about Lehigh swimming and diving?
OD: I will miss the camaraderie among my teammates and being in the best shape of my life.
What are your postgraduate plans?
OD: My number one priority is to get a job and hopefully be able to walk or bike to work. If everything goes really well I will drive my Porsche on the weekends.
Jake Greene – Freestyle/IM – Darien, Conn. – Chemical Engineering
Career highlights: competed in distance freestyle and IM events at three Patriot League Championships… finished ninth (won B final) in 200 and 400 IM in 2014 Patriot League Championships… reached A final of 400 IM in 2013.
What's your favorite Lehigh Swimming and Diving memory up until this point? Why?
JG: My favorite Lehigh Swimming memory is definitely the Lehigh-Lafayette swim meet each year. Its just such an awesome event and we get so much support from our alumni and other teams and the meet itself just has this electricity to it that makes everyone swim that much faster. The meet being in New York this year with Rowdy Gaines and SwimSwam there made it feel like a huge stage as well.
What legacy would you like to leave at Lehigh?
JG: I would like to leave Lehigh with the same legacy the team tries to live by; namely working hard every day from both an academic and athletic standpoint. I would like to be remembered as someone who always worked as hard as possible to succeed, and pushed people around me to do the same.
Describe the relationship with your fellow seniors.
JG: The senior men graduating with me are the best friends i have at this school. We've spent the last four years together and gotten to know one another really well. There isn't a group of guys i would have rather spent the last 4 years training and enjoying college with together.
What will you miss most about Lehigh swimming and diving?
JG: I will definitely miss the ability to actually race on a team the most from my experience. Although I'm one of a few guys who actually likes to train as well, competing is much more exciting. I'll still be able to come back and watch everybody swim fast, but its a totally different feeling when you are on the pool deck watching them and cheering them on.
What are your postgraduate plans?
JG: Right now my plan is to head into the working world with a degree in Bio-molecular and Chemical Engineering, however, I do not have a set position anywhere at this time.
Tim Parsons – Freestyle – Belle Meade, N.J. – Bioengineering
Career highlights: competes in distance freestyle and IM events… three-time member of the Patriot League Academic Honor Roll.
What's your favorite Lehigh Swimming and Diving memory up until this point? Why?
TP: Junior year Lehigh/Lafayette meet. Lafayette came in suited up and tapered, we responded with just about everybody throwing down best in-season times if not career best times. The atmosphere was unbelievable.
What legacy would you like to leave at Lehigh?
TP: Setting high goals and never settling.
Describe the relationship with your fellow seniors.
TP: Our class was lucky in that we had a large class, ultimately ending up with 9 graduating seniors. They all know me better than just about anybody else at Lehigh.
What will you miss most about Lehigh swimming and diving?
TP: Throwing down for the better of the team. It's tough to come by a group of individuals that you'd be compelled to do just about anything for if it meant they bettered from it.
What are your postgraduate plans?
TP: I will be attending Temple Dental School in fall 2015.
Eric Sherwood – Freestyle – Landisville, Pa. – Mechanical Engineering
Career highlights: Member of school and Jacobs Pool record-holding 800 free relay teams… scored in the 500 free at last two Patriot League Championships… two-time member of the Patriot League Academic Honor Roll.
What's your favorite Lehigh Swimming and Diving memory up until this point? Why?
ES: Any of the Lehigh-Lafayette swim meets, especially the ones that were held at Lehigh (our freshman and junior years). The energy in the building during these meets was an indescribable experience. Also happy to have beaten Lafayette all four of my years and continue the winning streak.
What legacy would you like to leave at Lehigh?
ES: I hope my teammates viewed me as a strong motivator, great friend, and a resilient competitor.
Describe the relationship with your fellow seniors.
ES: My fellow seniors are a family away from home for me. We have all become very close over the past four years and I'm sure we'll keep in contact for many years to come.
What will you miss most about Lehigh swimming and diving?
ES: Either eating breakfast with the men's team after morning practice, or taking part in all of the Lehigh Swimming and Diving traditions.
What are your postgraduate plans?
ES: I am going to be working out of Philadelphia as a consultant for IBM.
Michael Wheaton – IM – Middletown, N.J. – Finance/Accounting
Career highlights: competed in 200 and 400 IM and 200 fly at last two Patriot League Championships… finished tenth in 200 fly at Patriot League Championships as a sophomore.
What's your favorite Lehigh Swimming and Diving memory up until this point? Why?
MW: Lehigh-Lafayette my senior year in New York. Everyone swam fast and it was great to have continued the tradition of beating Lafayette for my final year.
What legacy would you like to leave at Lehigh?
MW: A natural leader who believes in living life to the fullest. Being a total bro. And someone who understood the necessity of hard work and giving your all.
Describe the relationship with your fellow seniors.
MW: The senior guys are some of my best friends and I think that relationship will continue after college.
What will you miss most about Lehigh swimming and diving?
MW: The certain underclass men that I became good friends with along with the d-squad and all the fun times we had together at practice.
What are your postgraduate plans?
MW: Becoming a famous actor and/or musician. And if that doesn't work out then off to law school and then possible government offices.
Players Mentioned
Dive
/ Men's Swimming and Diving
Distance
/ Men's Swimming and Diving
Back
/ Men's Swimming and Diving
Fly
/ Men's Swimming and Diving
Free
/ Men's Swimming and Diving
Distance
/ Men's Swimming and Diving
Free/Fly/IM
/ Men's Swimming and Diving
Distance Free
/ Men's Swimming and Diving
Free
/ Men's Swimming and Diving
IM
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