Lehigh University Athletics
Lehigh Women's Swimming and Diving Senior Reflections
1/19/2018 1:54:00 PM | Women's Swimming and Diving, Features
BETHLEHEM, Pa. – With Senior Day set for Saturday, the Lehigh women's swimming and diving senior class took time to reflect on their four years spent with the Brown and White. The Mountain Hawks will host Patriot League rival Bucknell Saturday in their final home meet of the season. Diving starts at 10:30 a.m., followed by the swimming events at 1 p.m. The senior ceremony will begin at approximately 12:45 p.m.
Sydney Bornstein – Free/Fly – Princeton Junction, N.J. – Biology
What's your favorite Lehigh Swimming memory up until this point? Why?
My favorite memory is when the whole team and Meghan Thomson watched her win the mile at patriots last year. The moment the second-place swimmer touched the wall and everyone realized Meghan won was one of the most exciting moments so far during my Lehigh swimming and diving career. That moment also set the tone for the rest of the meet and really pumped up everyone for their remaining races.
Describe the relationship with your fellow seniors.
My fellow seniors are some of my closest friends. We've been through a lot together and I can't wait to see what the future holds for all of us.
Describe the feeling going into Senior Day. What are some of the thoughts going through your mind as you're nearing the end of your collegiate career?
I feel excited and anxious going into senior day. I think that it's going to be a really fast and exciting meet. I can't believe that it will be the last time that I compete in Jacobs Pool! I think that approaching the end of my swimming career is bittersweet. Swimming has been such a huge part of my life for the last 14 years and I will miss competing and training with awesome people, but I am also excited to start a new chapter in my life.
What will you miss most about Lehigh Swimming?
I will miss practicing and competing with my teammates. They have pushed me to train harder and race faster and I will miss that support.
What are your postgraduate plans?
I'm planning on continuing my education next year by pursuing a Master of Public Health degree.
Julianne Koch – Free – Babylon, N.Y. – Computer Engineering
What's your favorite Lehigh Swimming memory up until this point? Why?
My favorite memory has to be my sophomore year at Patriots. It was my sister's senior year and the last meet we would be swimming together. We swam the same events and at finals we swam next to each other for every event. It made our last meet together really special!
Describe the relationship with your fellow seniors.
My fellow seniors are some of my favorite people. The memories I have created with them will last a lifetime and I'm so grateful for that. I love all my felicias!
Describe the feeling going into Senior Day. What are some of the thoughts going through your mind as you're nearing the end of your collegiate career?
You never think that you're going to be a senior. It's like this far off concept that will never happen to you. One day you're an eager freshman ready to tackle college and next thing you know you're rounding the corner on your whole college experience. Going into Senior Day makes it all feel real.
What will you miss most about Lehigh Swimming?
I will miss the people the most. There are people on this team I would have otherwise never hung out with and I'm so glad I got the chance to share my college experience with them.
What are your postgraduate plans?
I am still in the process of looking for a job.
Julia Perry – Back – Wyckoff, N.J. – Economics
What's your favorite Lehigh Swimming memory up until this point? Why?
My favorite memory up until this point is watching the 400 freestyle relays at Army this year. We needed to split them in order to win. All of the girls on those relays went out after it, and I think it showed how gritty we are as a team. When I was a freshman, I would have never thought we would have had a chance at beating Army, and to see how far we have come as a team in four years was really special.
Describe the relationship with your fellow seniors.
I am continually inspired and impressed with my fellow group of seniors. We are a very unique bunch, but have come together and formed a fun and accepting group of individuals. The love and appreciation I have for each of them is unwavering, and I am thankful that they have stuck with me for the past four years.
Describe the feeling going into Senior Day. What are some of the thoughts going through your mind as you're nearing the end of your collegiate career?
I am so sad to be ending my career. Being a Mountain Hawk for the past four years has been the greatest privilege, and competing with my team for one last time in Jacobs Pool will be very special to me. Thinking back on my collegiate career, I've realized that I have made a bunch of mistakes, but the lessons that I have taken away are invaluable. I could not have asked for a better program to be a part of or to have spent my time with any greater group of people.
What will you miss most about Lehigh Swimming?
I will miss the sense of community that I have found on this team the most. Over the past four years, each LUSD team has been super different and unique from one another, yet every year we have managed to create a family. My teammates have made my experience the best that it could have possibly been and I will be so sad when my time as a Mountain Hawk is up.
What are your postgraduate plans?
I am currently applying to graduate school and hope to be back at Lehigh for a fifth year to pursue a Masters in Economics.
Rachel Rider – Back/Fly – Bethlehem, Pa. – Accounting
What's your favorite Lehigh Swimming memory up until this point? Why?
My favorite Lehigh Swimming and Diving memory was the Lehigh-Lafayette meet this year. It was the first year that the meet was hosted by Lehigh in the past four years and it was so special. It is amazing to be a part of such a long-standing tradition. There was such a great energy that I have never felt before, and I will always remember this experience with my teammates and coaches.
Describe the relationship with your fellow seniors.
I love my fellow seniors!! I have loved getting to know my teammates these past few years and have made some life-long friends. My class has been with me through the good times and the bad times of college, and I am so happy to have been able to spend my college years with them and grow together.
Describe the feeling going into Senior Day. What are some of the thoughts going through your mind as you're nearing the end of your collegiate career?
I cannot believe how quickly my four years at Lehigh have gone. As I think about going into our senior meet, I realize how grateful I am to have had the opportunity to be on this team. I have met amazing people and learned so much about myself. I have made memories that I will cherish forever.
What will you miss most about Lehigh Swimming?
I will definitely miss the people the most. I have met some amazing people that I never would have met without the team. This team has become a second family to me and I will miss seeing my best friends every day at practice.
What are your postgraduate plans?
After graduation, I will be moving to New York City to work for PricewaterhouseCoopers as an assurance associate.
Megan Schappert – Dive – Hillsborough, N.J. – Chemical Engineering
What's your favorite Lehigh Swimming memory up until this point? Why?
My favorite memory would have to be the Colgate meet my sophomore year, where I competed as a diver for the first time. I knew I was doing something that would be extremely beneficial to the team, and seeing all of my teammates on the side of the pool cheering me on through a sport I barely understood was amazing.
Describe the relationship with your fellow seniors.
The relationship with my fellow seniors is one like no other. We had the same first incredible Le-Laf experience in New York and have been through a lot since then. Thanks for making these four years the greatest they could have been.
Describe the feeling going into Senior Day. What are some of the thoughts going through your mind as you're nearing the end of your collegiate career?
It is a very bittersweet moment. These four years have been incredible, but the end of one chapter in your life always means there's the beginning of a new chapter right around the corner. I will never forget my time on LUSD, but I am excited to start the next part of my life.
What will you miss most about Lehigh Swimming?
I will miss my teammates the most. We always have each other's backs and being on a team creates a bond like no other.
What are your postgraduate plans?
I have accepted a position at Catalent Pharma Solutions researching drug delivery and development. I am very excited to begin working there after graduation.
Meghan Thompson – Free – Kennelon, N.J. – Marketing
What's your favorite Lehigh Swimming memory up until this point? Why?
My favorite memory from my Lehigh Swimming career would have to be my Patriot League Championship. It was a surreal feeling to know that all my hard work finally paid off and that I achieved something I never really thought I would. However, some of my most favorite memories come from the everyday "fooling around" that occurs on the pool deck. The game, steal the bacon, throwing tennis balls at the L-Hawk eye, randomly going down slides during three-mile runs, and training trip beach workouts all come together to create one amazing memory of laughter, silliness and fun.
Describe the relationship with your fellow seniors.
My fellow seniors are some of the best friends I have ever had and I am so grateful for every single one of them. I know they are going to do amazing things in their future and I can't wait to continue making more memories. I don't know what I would have done without my Felicias by my side, every step of the way. Every moment of happiness, every sound of laughter, and even every tear has brought us closer together and shaped us into the amazing women we are right now as we enter the next chapter of our lives. To the boys, thanks for making me tougher and stronger as a person.
Describe the feeling going into Senior Day. What are some of the thoughts going through your mind as you're nearing the end of your collegiate career?
Honestly, I never thought this day would come and I can't believe it is finally here. It's a bittersweet moment but when one door closes, another one opens. I know the future has a lot in store for all of us seniors and I am looking forward to a new chapter in my life.
What will you miss most about Lehigh Swimming?
I am so excited to come back as an alumnus and watch my team continue to do amazing things, but there are a few things I will miss. I will miss being a part of the energy that fills the pool deck during Le-Laf. I will miss complaining about practice even though I look forward to training will the most amazing people every day. I will miss the amazing feeling after a great race. But mostly I will miss the people and being part of the best team! LUSD has given me so many great relationships that I will cherish for the rest of my life.
What are your postgraduate plans?
I plan a getting a job in North Jersey and I am excited for what the future holds.
Abby Thomson – Free – Bethlehem, Pa. – Psychology
What's your favorite Lehigh Swimming memory up until this point? Why?
I have so many amazing memories from my four years, but my favorite one was watching Meghan Thompson swim the winning Patriot League mile. Later that night at finals, we watched Meghan beat the top seeded girl. Meghan dropped to her knees with the biggest smile and tears rolling down her face while the entire team crowded around her and shared in a huge hug. This is my favorite memory because in that moment the entire team came together to celebrate something extraordinary done by an extraordinary person. They say a picture is worth a thousand words and I think the picture of Meghan surrounded by her teammates after such a win is as good a summation as any.
Describe the relationship with your fellow seniors.
The seniors are some of my closest friends and it has certainly been special growing and changing together over the past four years. We've formed strong bonds and I'm excited for everyone as we all finish our undergrad experience and begin new adventures.
Describe the feeling going into Senior Day. What are some of the thoughts going through your mind as you're nearing the end of your collegiate career?
I'm definitely nervous because the end of the season is approaching but I know that the Senior Day meet is always filled with a very special energy so I'm excited to be a part of it. That feeling also carries into our Patriot League meet. Patriots is one of the highlights of the spring for me and I'm looking forward to seeing how fast everyone swims this year. The energy of the team is going to be huge this year, a fun end to a long career. The end of swimming means the start of new phase in life and it's scary but I'm definitely excited for it.
What will you miss most about Lehigh Swimming?
I'm going to miss my teammates the most because we've all become close friends and it'll be a strange feeling to not train and spend time with them every day. Together we've been through highs and lows but we've gotten through everything as a team, no doubt. The constant support and the everyday push will be missed.
What are your postgraduate plans?
I plan to get my doctorate in physical therapy and my masters in healthcare administration.
Sydney Bornstein – Free/Fly – Princeton Junction, N.J. – Biology
What's your favorite Lehigh Swimming memory up until this point? Why?
My favorite memory is when the whole team and Meghan Thomson watched her win the mile at patriots last year. The moment the second-place swimmer touched the wall and everyone realized Meghan won was one of the most exciting moments so far during my Lehigh swimming and diving career. That moment also set the tone for the rest of the meet and really pumped up everyone for their remaining races.
Describe the relationship with your fellow seniors.
My fellow seniors are some of my closest friends. We've been through a lot together and I can't wait to see what the future holds for all of us.
Describe the feeling going into Senior Day. What are some of the thoughts going through your mind as you're nearing the end of your collegiate career?
I feel excited and anxious going into senior day. I think that it's going to be a really fast and exciting meet. I can't believe that it will be the last time that I compete in Jacobs Pool! I think that approaching the end of my swimming career is bittersweet. Swimming has been such a huge part of my life for the last 14 years and I will miss competing and training with awesome people, but I am also excited to start a new chapter in my life.
What will you miss most about Lehigh Swimming?
I will miss practicing and competing with my teammates. They have pushed me to train harder and race faster and I will miss that support.
What are your postgraduate plans?
I'm planning on continuing my education next year by pursuing a Master of Public Health degree.
Julianne Koch – Free – Babylon, N.Y. – Computer Engineering
What's your favorite Lehigh Swimming memory up until this point? Why?
My favorite memory has to be my sophomore year at Patriots. It was my sister's senior year and the last meet we would be swimming together. We swam the same events and at finals we swam next to each other for every event. It made our last meet together really special!
Describe the relationship with your fellow seniors.
My fellow seniors are some of my favorite people. The memories I have created with them will last a lifetime and I'm so grateful for that. I love all my felicias!
Describe the feeling going into Senior Day. What are some of the thoughts going through your mind as you're nearing the end of your collegiate career?
You never think that you're going to be a senior. It's like this far off concept that will never happen to you. One day you're an eager freshman ready to tackle college and next thing you know you're rounding the corner on your whole college experience. Going into Senior Day makes it all feel real.
What will you miss most about Lehigh Swimming?
I will miss the people the most. There are people on this team I would have otherwise never hung out with and I'm so glad I got the chance to share my college experience with them.
What are your postgraduate plans?
I am still in the process of looking for a job.
Julia Perry – Back – Wyckoff, N.J. – Economics
What's your favorite Lehigh Swimming memory up until this point? Why?
My favorite memory up until this point is watching the 400 freestyle relays at Army this year. We needed to split them in order to win. All of the girls on those relays went out after it, and I think it showed how gritty we are as a team. When I was a freshman, I would have never thought we would have had a chance at beating Army, and to see how far we have come as a team in four years was really special.
Describe the relationship with your fellow seniors.
I am continually inspired and impressed with my fellow group of seniors. We are a very unique bunch, but have come together and formed a fun and accepting group of individuals. The love and appreciation I have for each of them is unwavering, and I am thankful that they have stuck with me for the past four years.
Describe the feeling going into Senior Day. What are some of the thoughts going through your mind as you're nearing the end of your collegiate career?
I am so sad to be ending my career. Being a Mountain Hawk for the past four years has been the greatest privilege, and competing with my team for one last time in Jacobs Pool will be very special to me. Thinking back on my collegiate career, I've realized that I have made a bunch of mistakes, but the lessons that I have taken away are invaluable. I could not have asked for a better program to be a part of or to have spent my time with any greater group of people.
What will you miss most about Lehigh Swimming?
I will miss the sense of community that I have found on this team the most. Over the past four years, each LUSD team has been super different and unique from one another, yet every year we have managed to create a family. My teammates have made my experience the best that it could have possibly been and I will be so sad when my time as a Mountain Hawk is up.
What are your postgraduate plans?
I am currently applying to graduate school and hope to be back at Lehigh for a fifth year to pursue a Masters in Economics.
Rachel Rider – Back/Fly – Bethlehem, Pa. – Accounting
What's your favorite Lehigh Swimming memory up until this point? Why?
My favorite Lehigh Swimming and Diving memory was the Lehigh-Lafayette meet this year. It was the first year that the meet was hosted by Lehigh in the past four years and it was so special. It is amazing to be a part of such a long-standing tradition. There was such a great energy that I have never felt before, and I will always remember this experience with my teammates and coaches.
Describe the relationship with your fellow seniors.
I love my fellow seniors!! I have loved getting to know my teammates these past few years and have made some life-long friends. My class has been with me through the good times and the bad times of college, and I am so happy to have been able to spend my college years with them and grow together.
Describe the feeling going into Senior Day. What are some of the thoughts going through your mind as you're nearing the end of your collegiate career?
I cannot believe how quickly my four years at Lehigh have gone. As I think about going into our senior meet, I realize how grateful I am to have had the opportunity to be on this team. I have met amazing people and learned so much about myself. I have made memories that I will cherish forever.
What will you miss most about Lehigh Swimming?
I will definitely miss the people the most. I have met some amazing people that I never would have met without the team. This team has become a second family to me and I will miss seeing my best friends every day at practice.
What are your postgraduate plans?
After graduation, I will be moving to New York City to work for PricewaterhouseCoopers as an assurance associate.
Megan Schappert – Dive – Hillsborough, N.J. – Chemical Engineering
What's your favorite Lehigh Swimming memory up until this point? Why?
My favorite memory would have to be the Colgate meet my sophomore year, where I competed as a diver for the first time. I knew I was doing something that would be extremely beneficial to the team, and seeing all of my teammates on the side of the pool cheering me on through a sport I barely understood was amazing.
Describe the relationship with your fellow seniors.
The relationship with my fellow seniors is one like no other. We had the same first incredible Le-Laf experience in New York and have been through a lot since then. Thanks for making these four years the greatest they could have been.
Describe the feeling going into Senior Day. What are some of the thoughts going through your mind as you're nearing the end of your collegiate career?
It is a very bittersweet moment. These four years have been incredible, but the end of one chapter in your life always means there's the beginning of a new chapter right around the corner. I will never forget my time on LUSD, but I am excited to start the next part of my life.
What will you miss most about Lehigh Swimming?
I will miss my teammates the most. We always have each other's backs and being on a team creates a bond like no other.
What are your postgraduate plans?
I have accepted a position at Catalent Pharma Solutions researching drug delivery and development. I am very excited to begin working there after graduation.
Meghan Thompson – Free – Kennelon, N.J. – Marketing
What's your favorite Lehigh Swimming memory up until this point? Why?
My favorite memory from my Lehigh Swimming career would have to be my Patriot League Championship. It was a surreal feeling to know that all my hard work finally paid off and that I achieved something I never really thought I would. However, some of my most favorite memories come from the everyday "fooling around" that occurs on the pool deck. The game, steal the bacon, throwing tennis balls at the L-Hawk eye, randomly going down slides during three-mile runs, and training trip beach workouts all come together to create one amazing memory of laughter, silliness and fun.
Describe the relationship with your fellow seniors.
My fellow seniors are some of the best friends I have ever had and I am so grateful for every single one of them. I know they are going to do amazing things in their future and I can't wait to continue making more memories. I don't know what I would have done without my Felicias by my side, every step of the way. Every moment of happiness, every sound of laughter, and even every tear has brought us closer together and shaped us into the amazing women we are right now as we enter the next chapter of our lives. To the boys, thanks for making me tougher and stronger as a person.
Describe the feeling going into Senior Day. What are some of the thoughts going through your mind as you're nearing the end of your collegiate career?
Honestly, I never thought this day would come and I can't believe it is finally here. It's a bittersweet moment but when one door closes, another one opens. I know the future has a lot in store for all of us seniors and I am looking forward to a new chapter in my life.
What will you miss most about Lehigh Swimming?
I am so excited to come back as an alumnus and watch my team continue to do amazing things, but there are a few things I will miss. I will miss being a part of the energy that fills the pool deck during Le-Laf. I will miss complaining about practice even though I look forward to training will the most amazing people every day. I will miss the amazing feeling after a great race. But mostly I will miss the people and being part of the best team! LUSD has given me so many great relationships that I will cherish for the rest of my life.
What are your postgraduate plans?
I plan a getting a job in North Jersey and I am excited for what the future holds.
Abby Thomson – Free – Bethlehem, Pa. – Psychology
What's your favorite Lehigh Swimming memory up until this point? Why?
I have so many amazing memories from my four years, but my favorite one was watching Meghan Thompson swim the winning Patriot League mile. Later that night at finals, we watched Meghan beat the top seeded girl. Meghan dropped to her knees with the biggest smile and tears rolling down her face while the entire team crowded around her and shared in a huge hug. This is my favorite memory because in that moment the entire team came together to celebrate something extraordinary done by an extraordinary person. They say a picture is worth a thousand words and I think the picture of Meghan surrounded by her teammates after such a win is as good a summation as any.
Describe the relationship with your fellow seniors.
The seniors are some of my closest friends and it has certainly been special growing and changing together over the past four years. We've formed strong bonds and I'm excited for everyone as we all finish our undergrad experience and begin new adventures.
Describe the feeling going into Senior Day. What are some of the thoughts going through your mind as you're nearing the end of your collegiate career?
I'm definitely nervous because the end of the season is approaching but I know that the Senior Day meet is always filled with a very special energy so I'm excited to be a part of it. That feeling also carries into our Patriot League meet. Patriots is one of the highlights of the spring for me and I'm looking forward to seeing how fast everyone swims this year. The energy of the team is going to be huge this year, a fun end to a long career. The end of swimming means the start of new phase in life and it's scary but I'm definitely excited for it.
What will you miss most about Lehigh Swimming?
I'm going to miss my teammates the most because we've all become close friends and it'll be a strange feeling to not train and spend time with them every day. Together we've been through highs and lows but we've gotten through everything as a team, no doubt. The constant support and the everyday push will be missed.
What are your postgraduate plans?
I plan to get my doctorate in physical therapy and my masters in healthcare administration.
Players Mentioned
Free/Fly
/ Women's Swimming and Diving
Free
/ Women's Swimming and Diving
Back
/ Women's Swimming and Diving
Back/Fly
/ Women's Swimming and Diving
Back/Dive
/ Women's Swimming and Diving
Free
/ Women's Swimming and Diving
Free
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