The Final Stretch: Senior Night Insights

By: Cam’Ron Johnson I Published Jan 29, 2025.

D’Angola Pool is a name that, for most people, means nothing, but for the Kean University swim team, it means everything. It isn’t just a pool, but to them, it is a home. Friday, January 17, was the last time that this year’s senior class, with recognizable names such as Kristina Balogh, Laney Fenton, Emma Lindecke, and Teagan Powell, would get a chance to swim at home on their special senior night. 

We spoke with  Coach Chris Swenson, and Powell herself to gather their reflections on this tremendous three year run including this season ,and the upcoming farewell but knowing there’s more ahead.  

 Coach Swenson first came here in 2018-19 and built a new base and foundation for the program. Each year, the Kean swim team record consistently improved. From 2022-23 through the ongoing 2024 season the Cougars have maintained a cumulative outstanding record of 29-2-1. This three-year run has included a 2023 New Jersey Athletic Conference (NJAC) championship, in 38 NJAC selections, and even one All-American selection. 

It’s all been surreal for Swenson, but when talking about this team, he speaks nothing but wonderful things about each one of them and the team as a whole. 

“This is the most complete team that I’ve had in my seven years. We do not have a weakness on the roster; we have 16 athletes that [are] focusing on the same goal and that care about each other,”  Swenson said.

He spoke about the team’s mindset and having one goal: to compete for the NJAC championship. Swenson shared his emotions and the realization of how much this group means to him. When asked about the upcoming senior night, he elaborated on a few feelings and memorable moments with these seniors. 

“You know I was working on the senior speeches,  and this class means a lot to me…I am tearing up writing speeches and I’m not even saying it yet. I’m wondering how I am going to get through them on Friday night, we got a really special group … they all had a profound impact in different ways. I don’t think I’ll ever be able to thank them enough for what they did for the program,” said Swenson. 

Swenson continued to express the new events they went through this season by adding more to the schedule and changing the way the team trains. It really unlocked a new level. 

Swenson admits one of his favorite moments during the four years that these swimmers were here is between him and Fenton. “Thank you for making me love swimming again.” a note written on Swenson’s desk that Laney wrote to him. This interaction demonstrates the forever bond that a player and coach have that’s bigger than the wins and losses.  

“As a coach, that’s what it’s all about. I ask a lot from my players…but these seniors take every set that I give them, and I tell them you’re not going to love the sets each day but you will be really proud of the work you put in and confident that you can out swim anybody,” said Swenson.

A moment this season that immortalized what this swim team is all about was taking their first training trip: going to Florida for five nights and six days. 

“A training trip is really important because it can galvanize a season; when you’re down there, there are no distractions of school, family or etc, just us, and every single practice, they get better and better. The change of environment allowed everyone to come closer together. We were a very close team going down to Florida. We came back even closer,” said Swenson.

This trip emphasizes that no matter the situation, these girls had each other’s backs. Swenson mentions the leadership of Powell during the trip being a huge factor.

 “It starts and ends with your leaders, and Teagan Powell is one of the best captains you could ever want in a program.” He ended the conversation with a beautiful line “Over my coaching career guess how many points I have scored, 0! I am nothing without my kids”  

Powell is another one of the senior stars who’s decorated with awards in 2022. She secured All-NJAC First Team (200 Breast ), All-NJAC Second Team (100 Breast), then in 2023, All-NJAC First Team (400 Medley Relay), and All-NJAC Second Team (200 Breast). 

As one of the leaders, following in the footsteps of Coach Swenson, she understands the moment of the upcoming senior night, but more importantly, she recognizes where she came from.

 “My freshman year swimming with eight girls wasn’t easy, and then I look at this year and it’s way more than I could ever imagine,” Powell said. 

Powell spoke upon being given the opportunity and the bond with Coach Swenson. 

“Chris took a chance on me; I started swimming competitively in high school, so I didn’t have a lot of experience. I never even swam 200 breasts, and now I’m placing first team in NJAC. I just really have to thank Chris because a lot of coaches don’t want high school swimmers but his training, and I am grateful to be a part of something that’s been built up from what feels like nothing to what it is now,” said Powell 

With the kind of season, the Cougars having such a great leadership has been crucial, Powell spoke on the leadership and setting the standard for the season. 

“When captains got established, the first week of us all being back. Me and Emma gather the whole team together to set the standards and expectations, telling everyone what needed to be done for us to be our best. By doing this, we really felt it put us ahead of other teams,” said Powell. 

Powell knows that even after senior night, she has more competition to swim in, but the realization of this being her last one still sets in even during this week’s practices. 

“I know it’s going to be a super emotional night because it’s the last time we get to compete at that pool, but I am really proud of myself knowing that I have more matches, I can’t dwell on it. Though it’s the fact this pool has been my home I spent more time here then at my own house I made so many memories. I’m excited for the match, but I definitely am going to miss this pool,” said Powell.
Powell left with this statement on the capsule of her career.

 “ I have to enjoy the process, not just getting caught up in the results. That’s the biggest thing I learned. My sophomore year, I remember after the end of the year, I was crying, feeling I gave it my all but not getting the results you wanted. I learned that I wasn’t giving it my all every day. When you value the process, you understand that you show up for yourself each and every day doing the little things to get better, then there is no way that you won’t succeed.”

The Cougars would dominate their senior night tri-match vs. Montclair and Millersville. 

Kean would have the 1st and 2nd place scores with 182  &160 points. Montclair was 3rd with 142 points. 4th was Millersville with 118, 5th Montclair at 100 and Millersville in 6th with 78 points. 

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