Audrey Brink, Special to The Denisonian
A national championship is an accolade that most college athletes can only dream of.
This dream became a reality for the Denison men’s swim and dive team in 2025, and with the 2026 squad currently ranked No. 1, the pressure to repeat success is real.
“There’s definitely pressure. You’re the one. Everybody’s shooting for the team that’s ranked first,” assistant coach Kristen Skroski said.
The 2025 season was historic with 16 individuals earning first-team All-American honors and 15 earning second-team honors. First-team All-Americans are swimmers who place in the top eight at the NCAA championships, while second-team honors go to those who finish ninth through 16th. The senior class was the highest scoring class among all divisions.
Though the goal remains the same, the 2026 team looks totally different.
“Last year we were really senior dominant,” Skroski said. “This year, it’s a very different look, and we’re a little bit more junior-led when it comes to speed. The senior class is there for leadership, but right now, the way it plays out, the speed is from our younger classes, so that gives it a very different feel, especially when it comes to leadership.”
After the departure of the class of 2025, many All-American returners like Devin Testin, Jack Hill, Nick Hensel, Ben Bevill, George Goins, Liam Nelson, and Luke Swigget have stepped into larger roles by scoring more individual points. Additionally, Denison swim and dive welcomed the class of 2029. Several first-years have contributed points in early-season meets.
Asher Cole ‘29 describes the team atmosphere as “very welcoming among the team and coaches.”
“I would say that we’re a highly motivated group,” Cole said, “We’re pretty confident right now, not to the point where we’re cocky. We know that we’re going to have to continue working hard.”
Skroski was quick to acknowledge that being ranked first comes with unique expectations. But for some swimmers, rankings are not something to be feared, but something to embrace.
“Honestly, it’s kind of an ego boost, and I do good on the ego boost for my swimming performances,” Cole said. “Knowing that I’m on a team where we are so good it’s easier to say that we’re going to meet those expectations and we have a good shot of winning nationals.”
Devin Testin ‘27, a 2025 All-American, shared a similar point of view.
“I think we just approach the season and championship season as we always do,” he said. “Nothing’s really changed. We try to keep the pressure off of us.”
The team holds a 6-3 record in 2026, with their only losses being to Division I programs such as the University of Michigan.
Testin, Cole, and Skroski all agreed that the level of commitment may not be visible to outsiders.
“I think how bought in we are,” Testin said, “The process that goes on inside and outside the pool, because a lot of people just see the times we put up.”
The “process” includes early morning and afternoon practice most days of the week, intense weight room sessions, and countless personal and social sacrifices.
“There’s very few college kids that will want to get up and actually be grateful to be getting up for morning practices,” Skroski said. “To put in 10 full workouts a week and to show up to practice at 5:30 a.m. with a smile on your face is not a normal thing.”
Cole commented on the intense commitment to the team, “I’ve seen people do research on swimming, I’ve seen people watch videos on swimming, I’ve seen people go to the pool early to talk with the coaches and learn technique options.”
With Nationals around the corner from March 18-21, the question isn’t if the team feels the weight of expectation, but if they can thrive under it once again.
“We truly want something incredible,” Cole said. “We want to be great.”