Davidson Men’s and Women’s Swimming & Diving opened their seasons at home on Sept. 27 against Queens University of Charlotte. The ’Cats fell to the Royals 128-166 and 100-198 for the women and men, respectively. Despite the loss, the team is optimistic about the season.
In his first college meet, Henry Shoemaker ’29 led the way for the ‘Cats with wins in the 500 and 1000 yard freestyle.
“My first dual meet was with high expectations and nerves, but I was truly impressed by the teamwork of the team,” Shoemaker wrote in an email to The Davidsonian.
“From the pre-meet pep talk to the post-meet chant, I could feel the team’s synergy.”
Dylan Felt ’26, who competed at the US Olympic Trials in three freestyle events (200M, 800M, 1,500M) in June 2024, added a win to his resume in the 200 yard freestyle.
“Being back for the first meet was a big moment for me, especially as a senior. What matters most to me is pushing my teammates and keeping the energy up so we can all succeed together,” Felt wrote in an email to The Davidsonian.
Another new face on the team, Caroline Furbay ’29, took home first in the 100 yard freestyle.
“[The meet was] really fast-paced, which could be scary at times,” Furbay wrote in an email to The Davidsonian. “I didn’t swim perfectly, but I tried my best to stay calm and focus on the details.”
On the other side of the pool, diver Elle Jacobsen ’27 took home first on both the 1 and 3-meter boards, likely securing a spot at NCAA Zones in 1-meter diving.
Queens doesn’t have a women’s diving program. Instead, divers from UNC Asheville participated.
Claire Chason ’28, a freestyle sprinter, was impressed with the ‘Cat’s chemistry. “We had great energy, and our cheers were filled with lots of enthusiasm.”
Former Davidson swim captain and Assistant Professor of Mathematics and Computer Science Katy Williams ’17 attended the meet and was excited by what she saw.
“I’m looking forward to seeing how [the first-years] adapt to the team, the training, and the collegiate meet format,” Williams said.
“The underclassmen are bringing a great work ethic and resilience to practices and meets, so it was encouraging to see [the first-years] learning from the upperclassmen during this first meet.”