While many teams across the country began returning to campus last week, the Centre College’s men’s and women’s swimming & diving teams kicked off their 2023-2024 season with a training trip in Italy.
The 11-day trip featured stops in Rome, the Vatican City, Naples, Pompeii, and the towns along the Amalfi Coast. Along the way, the team had the opportunity to train in different short course and long course facilities, as well participate in walking tours and sightseeing.
Allison Carr, a senior and women’s team captain, told SwimSwam, “I think the trip really set the team up well for the rest of the season. We really had each other’s backs whether it was in the pool at practice or navigating the streets of Rome. With this solid foundation we have going into the season, I think integrating the incoming freshmen into the team and maintaining the culture we’ve established will be that much easier. I’m super pumped to see what’s in store for us this year!”
Jacob Sanders, a junior and captain on the men’s side, added, “Our team had an incredible week of sight-seeing and training in Italy. We were all able to experience an entirely different culture together and make some lasting memories. The bonds many of us formed will definitely help to propel us into a very promising season with lots of great potential. The trip definitely brought us all closer together and reaffirmed the family-like environment we have at Centre.”
Centre College is a Division III liberal arts college located in Danville, Kentucky. The school is a national leader in study abroad programs, with 85% of students studying abroad at least once during their time on campus.
The culture of going abroad extends to Centre College’s athletic department. Head swimming & diving coach Dean Brownley explains, “This trip to Italy was something that I have wanted to do for a few years but Covid shut down travel so we felt like this summer the timing worked out perfect. I know other teams such as Soccer, Lacrosse, Baseball and Basketball do trips abroad but this was a little unique for our sport. I have always been a believer that Collegiate swimming and diving is a team sport, not just an individual sport.”
The Centre College men finished 3rd as a team at the 2023 Southern Athletic Association Championships, while the women took 2nd. The team has not yet released their schedule for the upcoming season.