Wednesday, February 18
Lewisburg, Pa.
6:00:00 PM
Lehigh University
at
Patriot League Championships
Back from injury, Bennett to lead Mountain Hawks into Patriot League Championships
2/17/2015 3:03:00 PM | Men's Swimming and Diving
Patriot League Championships Home | Watch on PLN
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By Alex Buford '15, Lehigh Sports Media Relations
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Danny Bennett is no stranger to setbacks. After earning second team All-Patriot League honors following his freshman and sophomore years, Bennett fell ill with the flu at the Patriot League Championships during his junior year and underperformed as a result. Bennett's final season as a Mountain Hawk was almost robbed completely when he broke his collarbone before the season. However, as Bennett and the rest of the Mountain Hawk seniors prepare for their final days as Lehigh swimmers, he has worked his way back into the pool.
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At this week's Patriot League championships, Lehigh's lineup will feature a rejuvenated Bennett, a distance swimmer who is raring to go after sitting out almost half the season because of his collarbone injury, which can career-threatening in swimming. Through relentless rehab work that consisted of constant kicking in order to keep his legs strong, Bennett has returned to full strength at the right time.
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"I'm just now starting to feel like myself," Bennett said. "I feel like the Drexel meet showed me I'm back to where I was at before I got hurt. It's great to have that feeling again, especially with Patriots coming up."
Â
Against Drexel, Bennett was spectacular as he won the 500 free and guided the Hawks B 800 relay team to a third place finish after he touched ahead of Drexel's B squad by .26 seconds. Bennett also finished in second place in the 1,000 yard freestyle, six seconds behind sophomore Jacob Moyar. Bennett's performance was instrumental in the Mountain Hawks senior day victory as they defeated the Dragons 152.5-145.5.
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His mother, Dawn; father, Dan; sister, Emily; and his aunt and uncle were on hand for Bennett's final meet in Jacobs Pool. Bennett and his family were all smiles as he said goodbye to the pool that he had spent so much time in over the last four years at Lehigh.
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Bennett, a native of Marlton, N.J., learned how to swim at the age of four at the public swimming pool around the corner from his home. However, swimming did not become competitive for him until he was around ten years old. At that time, Bennett began to train year-round for the Jersey Wahoos Swim Club and he devoted after school hours as well as early weekday mornings to the sport during high school.
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"I was good at swimming from a young age, so I wanted to go forward with it," Bennett said. "I knew swimming would be able to open more doors for me, so that's what I stuck with."
Â
The Jersey Wahoos Swim Club is where he first met classmate and Lehigh teammate Chris Campbell. The two friends roomed together as freshman and currently live together off campus. No one on the swim team knows Bennett better than Campbell does.
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"Danny is one of the most competitive people that I have ever met," Campbell said. "It doesn't matter whether we are in the pool, playing pickup basketball, or whatever. Danny just hates losing. His competitive nature is what drives him."
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Lehigh head coach Rob Herb recruited both swimmers to Lehigh and echoed, echoed Campbell's sentiments.
Â
"You don't want to be next to Danny in the last 50, because he will beat you the majority of the time," Herb said. "He is ferocious."
Â
Bennett's teammates and coaches noticed his competitive nature during his first couple of weeks as a Mountain Hawk. While many freshmen might choose to be passive in an attempt to fit into their new team, Bennett arrived with a tenacious attitude, the same one that he will end his career with. Campbell recalls Bennett competing closely with then-senior Chris Toth as a freshman during practice. Even though he was just a freshman, it was clear Bennett would be set to take control of Lehigh's distance swimmers in the near future.
Â
"As a freshman I came in wanting to beat the seniors in practice because that's how my club team taught me to train," Bennett said. "I would say my competitiveness is innate, I'm competitive in most things that I do. It's what's helped me to achieve many of my goals."
Â
On top of Bennett's competitive edge, he has become an expert strategist in the pool over his four years at Lehigh. Distance swimming, according to Bennett, is as much about ability and strength as it is about strategy and knowing when to make your move. Bennett's experience has allowed him to master the strategic side of the sport. His combination of ability and strategy has seen Bennett become a member of the school record-holding 800 free relay team, as well as the Jacobs Pool record holder for the 500 free.
Â
"Danny has performed really well when healthy and he has really grown as a strategic swimmer, which is hard to find," Herb said. "Sometimes it's hard for athletes to embrace the strategy of our sport, but he has been able to lead the team in that way so others are starting to do that as well. That's been a huge contribution from him."
Â
Bennett explained that the strategy in distance swimming makes it more challenging and fun, which allowed him to embrace that and turn it into one of his strengths. His understanding and exploitation of the strategic element of swimming has been a big advantage for Bennett and the Mountain Hawks.
Â
Bennett has become a leader of the team over the years, and his ability to fight though injury and adversity has shown some of the younger swimmers what it means to be a leader. As the most experienced long distance swimmer on the roster, Bennett almost always leads them through sets in practice, Campbell said. Although there is younger talent behind him, Bennett has been "the guy" for the distance events.
Â
"Guys on the team look up to him and Danny has a good sense of what the team is all about," Herb added.
Â
Although Bennett is fiery and relentless in the pool, he is known as a funny, laid back kid with a quick wit out of the water. Bennett's sarcasm is also what he is also known for, Campbell said. Before races, Campbell added, Bennett is quiet but extremely focused on the task at hand.
Â
A supply chain management major, Bennett is currently in the process of applying and interviewing for jobs after graduation. His Lehigh experience, as well as his degree, he said, will serve him well. Bennett is grateful for what Lehigh has been able to provide for him.
Â
"As a student it's been great for me, I've had incredible professors," he said. "As a student-athlete you find a brotherhood on the team, and having a close group of friends like that is always nice and it enhances the experience."
Â
With the Patriot League championships set to begin this week, it will also serve as the culmination of four years of hard work for Bennett. In his last chance to swim as a student-athlete, Herb expects Bennett to do as he has always done: compete hard.
Â
"Danny is going to put it on the line, he's just that kind of guy," Herb said. "We need that. I know he's going to race as hard as he can."
Â
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Bennett and the Mountain Hawks will travel to Bucknell for the four-day Patriot League Championships, beginning Wednesday at Kinney Natatorium. The Mountain Hawks finished fifth at last year's championships with the men setting seven school records en route to a 291.5 point performance. Lehigh returns two of its three All-Patriot League performers from a year ago in Moyar and sophomore Jamal Willis, who should be a factor in the 50 free.
Â
Navy has won 11 straight Patriot League titles.
Â
The Patriot League Championships begin Wednesday at 6 p.m. from Lewisburg, Pa. The remainder of the four-day event features preliminaries beginning at 10:30 a.m. Thursday, Friday and Saturday with championship finals to follow each night at 6 p.m. The entire Patriot League Championship meet will be broadcast on the Patriot League Network.
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By Alex Buford '15, Lehigh Sports Media Relations
Â
Danny Bennett is no stranger to setbacks. After earning second team All-Patriot League honors following his freshman and sophomore years, Bennett fell ill with the flu at the Patriot League Championships during his junior year and underperformed as a result. Bennett's final season as a Mountain Hawk was almost robbed completely when he broke his collarbone before the season. However, as Bennett and the rest of the Mountain Hawk seniors prepare for their final days as Lehigh swimmers, he has worked his way back into the pool.
Â
At this week's Patriot League championships, Lehigh's lineup will feature a rejuvenated Bennett, a distance swimmer who is raring to go after sitting out almost half the season because of his collarbone injury, which can career-threatening in swimming. Through relentless rehab work that consisted of constant kicking in order to keep his legs strong, Bennett has returned to full strength at the right time.
Â
"I'm just now starting to feel like myself," Bennett said. "I feel like the Drexel meet showed me I'm back to where I was at before I got hurt. It's great to have that feeling again, especially with Patriots coming up."
Â
Against Drexel, Bennett was spectacular as he won the 500 free and guided the Hawks B 800 relay team to a third place finish after he touched ahead of Drexel's B squad by .26 seconds. Bennett also finished in second place in the 1,000 yard freestyle, six seconds behind sophomore Jacob Moyar. Bennett's performance was instrumental in the Mountain Hawks senior day victory as they defeated the Dragons 152.5-145.5.
Â
His mother, Dawn; father, Dan; sister, Emily; and his aunt and uncle were on hand for Bennett's final meet in Jacobs Pool. Bennett and his family were all smiles as he said goodbye to the pool that he had spent so much time in over the last four years at Lehigh.
Â
Bennett, a native of Marlton, N.J., learned how to swim at the age of four at the public swimming pool around the corner from his home. However, swimming did not become competitive for him until he was around ten years old. At that time, Bennett began to train year-round for the Jersey Wahoos Swim Club and he devoted after school hours as well as early weekday mornings to the sport during high school.
Â
"I was good at swimming from a young age, so I wanted to go forward with it," Bennett said. "I knew swimming would be able to open more doors for me, so that's what I stuck with."
Â
The Jersey Wahoos Swim Club is where he first met classmate and Lehigh teammate Chris Campbell. The two friends roomed together as freshman and currently live together off campus. No one on the swim team knows Bennett better than Campbell does.
Â
"Danny is one of the most competitive people that I have ever met," Campbell said. "It doesn't matter whether we are in the pool, playing pickup basketball, or whatever. Danny just hates losing. His competitive nature is what drives him."
Â
Lehigh head coach Rob Herb recruited both swimmers to Lehigh and echoed, echoed Campbell's sentiments.
Â
"You don't want to be next to Danny in the last 50, because he will beat you the majority of the time," Herb said. "He is ferocious."
Â
Bennett's teammates and coaches noticed his competitive nature during his first couple of weeks as a Mountain Hawk. While many freshmen might choose to be passive in an attempt to fit into their new team, Bennett arrived with a tenacious attitude, the same one that he will end his career with. Campbell recalls Bennett competing closely with then-senior Chris Toth as a freshman during practice. Even though he was just a freshman, it was clear Bennett would be set to take control of Lehigh's distance swimmers in the near future.
Â
"As a freshman I came in wanting to beat the seniors in practice because that's how my club team taught me to train," Bennett said. "I would say my competitiveness is innate, I'm competitive in most things that I do. It's what's helped me to achieve many of my goals."
Â
On top of Bennett's competitive edge, he has become an expert strategist in the pool over his four years at Lehigh. Distance swimming, according to Bennett, is as much about ability and strength as it is about strategy and knowing when to make your move. Bennett's experience has allowed him to master the strategic side of the sport. His combination of ability and strategy has seen Bennett become a member of the school record-holding 800 free relay team, as well as the Jacobs Pool record holder for the 500 free.
Â
"Danny has performed really well when healthy and he has really grown as a strategic swimmer, which is hard to find," Herb said. "Sometimes it's hard for athletes to embrace the strategy of our sport, but he has been able to lead the team in that way so others are starting to do that as well. That's been a huge contribution from him."
Â
Bennett explained that the strategy in distance swimming makes it more challenging and fun, which allowed him to embrace that and turn it into one of his strengths. His understanding and exploitation of the strategic element of swimming has been a big advantage for Bennett and the Mountain Hawks.
Â
Bennett has become a leader of the team over the years, and his ability to fight though injury and adversity has shown some of the younger swimmers what it means to be a leader. As the most experienced long distance swimmer on the roster, Bennett almost always leads them through sets in practice, Campbell said. Although there is younger talent behind him, Bennett has been "the guy" for the distance events.
Â
"Guys on the team look up to him and Danny has a good sense of what the team is all about," Herb added.
Â
Although Bennett is fiery and relentless in the pool, he is known as a funny, laid back kid with a quick wit out of the water. Bennett's sarcasm is also what he is also known for, Campbell said. Before races, Campbell added, Bennett is quiet but extremely focused on the task at hand.
Â
A supply chain management major, Bennett is currently in the process of applying and interviewing for jobs after graduation. His Lehigh experience, as well as his degree, he said, will serve him well. Bennett is grateful for what Lehigh has been able to provide for him.
Â
"As a student it's been great for me, I've had incredible professors," he said. "As a student-athlete you find a brotherhood on the team, and having a close group of friends like that is always nice and it enhances the experience."
Â
With the Patriot League championships set to begin this week, it will also serve as the culmination of four years of hard work for Bennett. In his last chance to swim as a student-athlete, Herb expects Bennett to do as he has always done: compete hard.
Â
"Danny is going to put it on the line, he's just that kind of guy," Herb said. "We need that. I know he's going to race as hard as he can."
Â
Â
Bennett and the Mountain Hawks will travel to Bucknell for the four-day Patriot League Championships, beginning Wednesday at Kinney Natatorium. The Mountain Hawks finished fifth at last year's championships with the men setting seven school records en route to a 291.5 point performance. Lehigh returns two of its three All-Patriot League performers from a year ago in Moyar and sophomore Jamal Willis, who should be a factor in the 50 free.
Â
Navy has won 11 straight Patriot League titles.
Â
The Patriot League Championships begin Wednesday at 6 p.m. from Lewisburg, Pa. The remainder of the four-day event features preliminaries beginning at 10:30 a.m. Thursday, Friday and Saturday with championship finals to follow each night at 6 p.m. The entire Patriot League Championship meet will be broadcast on the Patriot League Network.
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