Laurel Gallaudet, graduate student in Composition, Rhetoric and Digital Media program, was drawn to NSU as a freshman because of the women’s swimming team.
“Ben, the coach here, actually reached out back to me and offered me to come visit and speak with me,” said Gallaudet. “He showed me around and I had kind of an impromptu trip with the team, and I thought it would be a really good fit, and I got along well with everyone, so then I ended up coming here.”
The women’s swimming team is making waves in the collegiate athletics scene.
Led by head coach Ben Hewitt, the Sharks have been dominating the competition and are having a season to remember.
In January, it ranked #1 in the CSCAA’s Top-25 Dual Meet rankings, which can be attributed to a combination of hard work, dedication and strong team chemistry.
Gallaudet has had a significant impact on the team.
At the 2018 Shark Invitational, she set two season bests: 58.11 in the 100 free and 2:07.72 in the 200 free. During the 2019 Spartan Invitational, she set three season bests in the 1000 free, 100 fly and 200 fly. She was also selected to the 2019 SSC Spring Commissioner’s Honor Roll.
“I feel like my dad is one of my biggest role models because he was a really good swimmer. He went to the Naval Academy, and he was able to set some records and do really well swimming wise,” said Gallaudet.
The Sharks have had success in the pool under Hewitt’s direction, with four NCAA national champions and five individual triumphs.
Hewitt guided the women’s team to their best-ever program finish of third in 2018. Hewitt’s commitment to his athletes goes beyond the pool, as both the men’s and women’s swim teams have maintained a GPA of 3.0 or above for nine consecutive semesters under his direction.
“I really like Ben. He definitely has expectations, and he makes them clear, but in a way that makes us feel motivated to reach those goals. And we share the same goals, like with him,” said Gallaudet. “He definitely does a good job of telling us when we’re doing well or motivating us along, like knowing that we’re trusting the process and the process is rewarding us.”
The women’s swimming team hopes to extend their winning streak as they compete in several conferences. Gallaudet competed in the Sunshine State Conference Championship on Feb. 15 and 18.
“The women’s team has been able to win, I think the past two or three years,” said Gallaudet. “We know every year it’s a fight, like it’s not guaranteed. So, we’re really trying to aim ourselves towards winning and being the best that we can be. So that’s definitely my biggest goal, is to be able to perform to the best of my ability, especially since my last year.”
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