Kentucky Seniors Help Build Tradition of Success
Though their season is far from over, 14 Wildcats will
compete inside Lancaster Aquatic Center for the final time in their collegiate
careers on Saturday afternoon.
Four years ago, these seniors entered the Kentucky swimming
and diving program as the first group of freshman to compete under head coach
Lars Jorgensen. Since then, those 14 individuals have helped pave the way for a
program that continues to see more and more success each season.
Saturday will surely be a celebration as well as a reminder
of the strides the Wildcats have made in such a short amount of time.
In all, these 14 student-athletes combine to hold seven
current school records, 36 times that rank inside the top 10 in school history,
four top-10 diving scores, three SEC medals, one SEC Athlete of the Year award,
one 2016 Rio Olympian, Kentucky’s first ever swimming national champion and
more.
“I think we definitely left a legacy,” said senior captain
Danielle Galyer. “We were in such a great position. Our class was the first
class with the brand new coaching staff and immediately, even as freshmen, they
came in and looked to us to be leaders even though we were that young. As a
class, we bought into their beliefs and so we were lucky because we’ve had that
since the very beginning and we’ve kind of been leaders since we were so
young.”
And leaders they have been. This group of Kentucky seniors
has not only led the program to changes in the levels of success, but in the
culture of the program as a whole.
“There’s definitely been a change in the team’s culture and
how seriously we take swimming since my freshman year,” said senior Kyle
Higgins. “When Lars took over, he really cracked down and made us all really
focus on what matters and why we’re all here, which at the end of the day is
swimming and our education.”
“I think over the four years (the culture) has changed so
much, and I know part of it was the new coaches but also part of it is this
senior class. Every one of us leads and contributes in our own way,” added
Higgins.
Galyer, who became Kentucky’s first ever swimming national
champion last season, agreed that the culture change has been a huge part of
the program’s achievements.
“I think we really just established a team culture of
excellence with recruiting, swimming, school, community service and kind of all
aspects of our lives,” explained Galyer. “That’s really the legacy we hope to
leave behind.”
After the change in culture started, that’s when things
really started to get fun. Last season, Kentucky’s men’s team earned its first
win over an SEC opponent in seven years when it defeated LSU on Jan. 9.
“Beating LSU was probably one of my favorite memories over
my four years,” said Higgins. “We went through a lot of struggle in the first
few years, just trying to figure out the dynamics of the team and get everyone
on the same page. To beat LSU at home was really a cool experience for everyone
on the team to show the younger teammates that we really are on the rise and
can accomplish more.”
Although Saturday marks the end of an era for Kentucky
swimming and diving, it also represents the beginning of a new legacy.
Thank you, seniors.
