Lehigh University Athletics
Lehigh welcomes 12 newcomers to swimming and diving program
9/6/2012 3:55:00 PM | Women's Swimming and Diving
BETHLEHEM, Pa. – As the Lehigh swimming and diving team returns to campus and begins preparations for the 2012-13 season, head coach Rob Herb has announced the addition of 13 student-athletes who will join the Mountain Hawks program. Herb has bolstered his women's roster with eight freshmen, while the men welcome four freshmen plus one transfer, who is already familiar with the Mountain Hawks' program.
“The Lehigh swimming and diving program is proud to announce its incoming 'Class of 2016 with a Purpose' swimmers,” said Herb, who enters his ninth season. “This is a great group. They are true student-athletes in every sense of the word, and we have big expectations for them. With the addition of this class we will become a team to be reckoned with in the Patriot League.”
The women's incoming class of eight features three swimmers from New Jersey, two from both Pennsylvania and New York and one from Ohio.
“This is the strongest class of women we've recruited to Lehigh,” Herb said. “We're looking forward to seeing how they redefine Lehigh swimming and diving in the Patriot League.”
Rebekah Campo is a strong all-around swimmer from Clarks Summit, Pa. and Scranton Prep. Campo can swim freestyle and butterfly, but her best event may be the breaststroke, where she captured a state championship in the 100 last season. She is also a member of the Marywood Pacers Aquatics.
Bethlehem native Courtney Desh is another breaststroke swimmer in the class. Desh swam club for five years, including a stint at the Atlantis Aquatic Club, before moving on to Liberty High School. She was also a state qualifier in the 100 yard breaststroke event.
Melissa Feeney comes to Lehigh from the Academy of St. Elizabeth in New Jersey. Feeney swims breaststroke and individual medley and competed for the Lakeland Hills YMCA team. She was a six-year member of the Lakeland Hills National Team and was twice named to the USA Swimming Scholastic All-America team.
A freestyle/butterfly swimmer from New York, Carolyn Koch swam for Babylon High School and the Team Suffolk/Half Hollow Hills club team. Koch's top accomplishment was a third place finish in the 100 yard freestyle at the state championship meet.
Courtney Patterson is a freestyle swimmer from Cherry Hill High School West in New Jersey. She specializes in the 200 and 500 yard freestyle events. Patterson finished second in the 200 yard freestyle at the New Jersey Meet of Champions, and has a sister, Leigh Anne, who swims for Villanova.
The fourth breaststroke specialist in the incoming class is Abigail Pires from Governor Livingston High School in New Jersey. Pires also swam for the Westfield YMCA and was part of a 400 medley relay team that won the New Jersey YMCA State Championship last spring and set a state record in the process.
From Saint Ursula Academy in Cincinnati, Ohio comes distance freestyle specialist Erin Ridge. A member of the M.E. Lyons and Anderson Barracudas club teams, Ridge is versatile enough to swim the 200, 500, 1000 and 1650 yard freestyle events. She owns an eighth place finish at YMCA Long Course Nationals.
Rounding out the incoming class is freestyle swimmer Cady Zawatson from Long Beach High School in New York. Zawatson also swims all freestyle from the 200 through the 1650. She qualified for the NCSA Junior Nationals in her junior and senior years and was also a two-time Scholastic All-American.
“Rebekah Campo is someone who can redefine the breaststroke and butterfly standard for us,” Herb explained. “Courtney and Cady will bring enormous energy to the distance events. Our versatility will be impressive as Carolyn Koch and Melissa Feeney can match up with anyone in the league in almost any event, plus Erin, Abby and Courtney will strengthen our depth and talent. This is a special group.”
The quartet of men's freshmen begins with Matt Carducci from Harrison High School in New York. Carducci is backstroke/butterfly specialist who holds four school records. A three-time state qualifier, Carducci twice earned All-State honors to go along with four All-League selections. Carducci was a three-year captain and a two-time Journal News All-Star as well as a two-time Junior National Qualifier.
Jeff Donovin arrives in Bethlehem by way of Piscataway High School in New Jersey. Donovin swims freestyle and butterfly and participated on the Somerset Valley YMCA club team. At the 2012 long course YMCA nationals, Donovin was part of a national record-setting and championship-winning 400 medley relay team.
Rhode Island native Jake Hassel comes to Lehigh from the Saint Andrews School. Hassel specializes in the butterfly and individual medley events. A member of the Seacoast Swimming Association, Hassel won the 200 yard butterfly title at the 2012 New England Open.
Rounding out the four swimmers in the men's freshman class is Michael Lopinto, a breaststroke/individual medley specialist from Morris Township, N.J. Like Donovin, Lopinto swam for the Somerset Valley YMCA. Lopinto is also accomplished in the classroom, where he was an AP Scholar and is now enrolled in Lehigh's P.C. Rossin College of Engineering and Applied Science.
In addition to the four freshmen, Herb welcomes back Connor Cackovic, who competed for the Mountain Hawks in 2010-11 before returning to his native California to study at Ventura College. Cackovic attended Carlsbad Seaside High School in California and should contribute in the breaststroke and individual medley events.
“I know this group is ready to take on the Patriot League,” Herb said. “Jeff Donovin and Jake Hassel will help fill the talented shoes of our graduated seniors. They can swim just about any event and they love to compete. Matt Carducci and Mike Lopinto will swim the fly, back and breaststroke events, while we're looking forward to welcoming Connor's effort back to the pool.”
Lehigh's annual Brown and White swim meet is set for Friday September 28, while the Mountain Hawks will open the 2012-13 season against West Chester, Friday October 19 at Jacobs Pool.
Men's Swimming and Diving Class of 2016
|
Name
|
Event
|
Hometown/High School
|
College
|
|
Matt Carducci
|
Back/Fly
|
Harrison, N.Y./Harrison
|
Engineering
|
|
Jeff Donovin
|
Free/Fly
|
Piscataway, N.J./Piscataway
|
Arts and Sciences
|
|
Jake Hassel
|
Fly/IM
|
Portsmouth, R.I./Saint Andrews
|
Arts and Sciences
|
|
Michael Lopinto
|
Breast/IM
|
Morris Township, N.J./Morristown
|
Engineering
|
Women's Swimming and Diving Class of 2016
|
Name
|
Event
|
Hometown/High School
|
College
|
|
Rebekah Campo
|
All
|
Clarks Summit, Pa./Scranton Prep
|
Arts and Sciences
|
|
Courtney Desh
|
Breast
|
Bethlehem, Pa./Liberty
|
Arts and Sciences
|
|
Melissa Feeney
|
Breast/IM
|
Morris Plains, N.J./Academy of St. Elizabeth
|
Arts and Sciences
|
|
Carolyn Koch
|
Free/Fly
|
Babylon, N.Y./Babylon
|
Engineering
|
|
Courtney Patterson
|
Free
|
Cherry Hill, N.J./Cherry Hill West
|
Business
|
|
Abigail Pires
|
Breast
|
Mountainside, N.J./Governor Livingston
|
Engineering
|
|
Erin Ridge
|
Free
|
Cincinnati, Ohio/Saint Ursula Academy
|
Business
|
|
Cady Zawatson
|
Free
|
Lido Beach, N.Y./Long Beach
|
Business
|
Undergraduate Commencement
Sunday, May 17
Graduate Commencement and Doctoral Hooding
Saturday, May 16
2026 Convocation Awards Ceremony
Thursday, May 07
2025-2026 Top Moments
Thursday, May 07
