Kean Swimming in Sync and Ready to Compete
By Ruben Nieves | Published November 3, 2022
The swim season is officially underway here at Kean University. The team who was ranked fourth in the NJAC preseason poll and chosen as a dark horse team in the conference looks to continue where they left off last season.
Despite getting ready in less than three weeks before their season opener against Stevens Institute of Technology, head coach Chris Swenson believes the team has been able to come together in their short time of preparation.
“In a short amount of time the team has gelled together pretty nicely,” Swenson said. “Watching the way they come together, train well together, and push each other, I’m really excited.”
Last season, the team did not have a full roster, there were only nine swimmers on the roster, now they have 14 swimmers on the roster including nine freshman swimmers. With a full roster, the team will be more competitive.
“It’s a different energy in practice and in meets and different expectations in terms of what I think we can do in dual meets and by the end of the season,” Swenson said. “It allows for endless possibilities, and we’ve prepared them as best as we can as a staff and I’m just excited to watch them race.”
In their first meet of the season, Kean defeated Stevens in a 172-89 victory, freshman Ashley Konz and Emma Bellars and sophomore Teagan Powell all captured two events in their season opener. Bellars captured first place in the 50 and 100 freestyles.
With less than three weeks before the season opener, Bellars and the team went right to work preparing for the season.
“We started working hard from day one, ”Bellars said. “We knew we only had three weeks for the first meet, so we got right into it working hard every day.”
After their first win of the season, Bellars hopes to accomplish her own personal goals she set for herself this season.
“I want one of our relays to win at our conference meet and break a school record and have fun,” Bellars said.
After winning their first meet, Swenson has a lot of expectations for the team this season.
“We’re going to take it week by week and just keep them excited and motivated,” Swenson said. “The goal for our team is to always be the team who is having the most fun and also swimming the fastest and I think when you have those two things together it’s a pretty special season.”