JEFFERSON CITY, Tenn. – For the first time in the history of the program, the Carson-Newman swim team will celebrate Senior Day this weekend.
Seniors Aly Kaywork (Fernandina Beach, Fla.), Kelly Faulkner (Lawrenceville, Ga.), Pierre-Olivier Dionne (Rimouski, Quebec, Canada), Stephen Parsons (Auburn, Ala.) and Ben Young (Morristown, Tenn.) will take to the pool for the final time Saturday against Catawba at 1 p.m at Maddox Pool.
The group of five joined the Eagles as junior college transfers before the program's inaugural season last year. The memories and legacy shared between the young program and the five seniors will last a lifetime.
Each senior took a moment to discuss their time at Mossy Creek:
Kaywork transferred to Carson-Newman from Indian River State College where she was a member of the IRSC Scholastic All-American swim team. As an Eagle, she has held three school records and will graduate with a degree in psychology.
"It's hard to sum up my two years at Carson-Newman in just a few sentences," Kaywork said. "To be a part of the inaugural swim team has been such a privilege. I have had experiences and made memories and friendships that will last a lifetime and challenged me to grow into the person I am today."
Faulkner was Kaywork's teammate at Indian River State and now the two are concluding their careers in Jefferson City. She placed third in the 500 Free and fourth in the 200 Free at the NJCCA National Championships and was a National Champion. She holds the school record in the 800 Free Relay along with three other Eagles. Faulkner will graduate from Carson-Newman with a degree in graphic design.
"It's been an honor to be a part of the first ever Carson-Newman swim team," Faulkner said. "I can't wait to come back and see my teammates and friends that were a part of the inaugural swim team graduate. I'm going to miss swimming; it's been a great 15 years of competitive swimming."
Dionne, the lone Canadian on the swim roster, swam previously at Darton College in Albany, Ga. At Darton, he placed eighth in the Breaststroke at the NJCAA National Championships. Dionne will graduate with a degree in finance.
"To be a member of the first graduating class of Carson-Newman is a major honor to me," Dionne said. "As the lone Canadian, I am thankful for being able to bring my culture to Jefferson City and to bring some of East Tennessee's culture back home. I will always consider every member of the Carson-Newman swim program family and am thankful for the last two seasons here at Mossy Creek."
Parsons spent his first two seasons at Daytona State College, a program that faced turmoil and eventually ended. The Auburn, Ala.-native then traveled north to Jefferson City. He holds or has held nine school records. He will graduate in May with a degree in Communications.
"When I left my junior college in Florida, I witnessed firsthand how athletic programs are at the mercy of budgetary restraints. I watched the team I helped build be swept away to the pages of history. Then I discovered a small liberal arts university that was funding a new program, giving me the chance to become a part of a new family," Parsons said. "Here at Carson-Newman, I found an opportunity to use my passion to help pay for my education and give me the ability to be a successful Division II athlete. I found a host of professors that were willing to share their knowledge, experience, and life lessons in order to give me a lifelong education. I found a group of fierce and loyal friends that endured the crucibles and celebrated the victories alongside me. Most of all, I found the person that God meant me to be. When I receive my diploma in May, I'm confident my experience at Carson-Newman has equipped me for a productive and meaningful career. "
Young participated in two sports for Carson-Newman. Before the formation of the swim program, he played soccer on McCown Field in the Blue and Orange for one season. He transferred to Indian River State to begin his collegiate swim career where he became a three-time All-American and NJCAA National Champion before coming back to Carson-Newman. Young's name sits in the Carson-Newman record book nine times. Young is currently a master's student in education with a minor in coaching.
"My time at Carson Newman has been nothing short of the best experience I could have possibly had during a college career," Young said. "When first attending Carson-Newman, I was a member of the Eagles' athletic program, but far from the swimming pool. In fact, the swim team had not even been established yet. After learning about the establishment of the swimming program, I knew I had made the right choice on coming to be a part of the Eagles. To say that it was not a long road would be a complete lie, but being a part of a new program has helped make me the individual that I am today. I have had the incredible opportunity to not only meet a ton of new people, but also create long-lasting friendships with a group of people that have made never-ending impacts on my life. The other swimmers here at Carson Newman are far more than just teammates; they have also become my family. They have become a family that I would have never expected to have three years ago when I was the only swimmer on campus along with Coach Paige. The coaching staff, my teammates, and my family have made this Senior Day possible and with them, this will be a story that I tell my grandkids one day.
Carson-Newman and the Catawba Indians will swim at 1 p.m. Saturday afternoon in Maddox Pool. Before the meet, all five seniors will be honored. Live results will be available our Twitter account, @CNathletics, and a post-meet recap and videos will be available on cneagles.com.
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