In preparation for the 2015-16 season, the University of Connecticut men’s and women’s swimming and diving teams have found fun activities to help them get to know each other better.
In order to bond while helping out a great cause, UConn’s teams participated in the Swim Across America Open Water Swim event on Sept. 12 at Roger Wheeler Beach in Rhode Island, where they raised $18,128 to go towards cancer research efforts at Rhode Island’s Women & Infants Hospital.
The event featured over 500 swimmers of all different ages and skill levels, many of whom are former and current NCAA athletes, as eight schools from across New England took part in the one-mile ocean swim. Swimmers had the choice of swimming alone or as a team to honor those that have been affected by cancer.
The initial goal of $150,000 for the event was exceeded as a total of $186,277 was raised. Swimming as a team, UConn raised the second highest amount of any school, while Providence topped the list after raising $29,960. Sophomore Walker Hill (Jacksonville, Fla.) raised the most for the Huskies with $3,590.
“I am proud of the efforts of our swimmers who raised over $18,000 at this point for cancer research at the Women & Infant’s Hospital of Providence,” Connecticut men’s and women’s swimming and diving head coach Bob Goldberg said. “This is an opportunity for our team in a small way to give back. Additionally, it was a chance for our team to spend time together, get to know our freshman a little better and do a fun event for a great cause.”
Swim Across America, Inc., is a non-profit corporation that runs events from Boston to San Francisco to support cancer research at the country’s finest hospitals and institutions. Proceeds from the Rhode Island Swim go to the Women & Infants Hospital, the largest and most diverse oncology service for women in the Northeast as it provides a broad spectrum of care for gynecological and breast cancers. The hospital has evolved into a world-renowned, multi-disciplinary facility where clinicians uncover key answers to the questions of cancer while also focusing on the needs of the patients and families.
The squads also took part in the ROTC Leadership Challenge, which involved them facing six mental and physical team building exercises to help improve toughness amongst team members.
The women’s swimming and diving teams will kick off the season on Oct. 16 when UConn hosts Yale, Central Connecticut and Rhode Island in the Wolf-Zackin Natatorium. The men’s swimming and diving teams will join the women for their home opener against Villanova on Oct. 24 in Storrs.
Swimming News is courtesy of Uconn Swimming & Diving.