The Green Level Swim & Dive team has begun their 2023-2024 winter season.
Their first meet will take place on Saturday, November 18th against the Cardinal Gibbons Crusaders, the Fuquay-Varina Bengals, and the Southeast Raleigh Bulldogs.
Last year, the Gators placed fourth overall at the conference meet, finishing with a total of 611 points; the men’s team finished third (411 points), and the women’s team finished fifth (210 points). On February 5th, the men’s team won the NCHSAA Regional championship for the first time in program history, beating the Green Hope Falcons by just two points.
The captains this season include Sr. Matthew Schoenagel, Sr. Matthew Honaker, Sr. Chris Cui, Sr. Connor Peck, Sr. Mia Lanuti, and Sr. Kaelyn Harmon.
Jr. Lilly Willis, who is also an impactful member of the team, is currently ranked 5th in North Carolina and 97th in the country for the Class of 2025. Over the summer, Willis committed to further her swimming career at the University of Louisville, becoming the second commit on the team after Peck who will be attending St. Bonaventure University starting next fall.
When talking to Honaker about how he feels going into their first meet of the season, he says, “I feel super good going into the season. We’ve got a really strong lineup this year with a lot of depth and promising underclassmen. The first meet tomorrow should be a good chance to gauge where the team is.”
He also reflects on how he feels this season will defer from the last, “While we did lose some seniors, the development of last year’s team far outweighs those losses and we plan on winning conference, regionals, and even making a play at the state title.”
The Gators are looking to build upon their successes last year and start their season strong at their first meet tomorrow.
