Reshape and Rally - Part VII

Photo Collection of Kenyon's Return to Athletics

11/12/2020 4:00:00 PM

Throughout the fall semester, Athletics Communications will present new installments of Reshape and Rally, a photo collection documenting how Kenyon student-athletes and Athletics staff react to everyday changes caused by the COVID-19 pandemic and the effort they put in to reaching their goal of returning to intercollegiate competition.

Links to other installments of Reshape and Rally are listed below.

Part 1 I Part 2 I Part 3 I Part 4 I Part 5 I Part 6

Sophomore diver Mason Fishell mimics a straight line as he finishing off a dive. Last season, Fishell finished 13th on the one-meter board during the NCAA Regional Championship.

Olivia Smith, the reigning North Coast Athletic Conference Newcomer of the Year, dives into a Wednesday afternoon practice. At the 2019 NCAC Championship, Smith won the 100-yard backstroke and placed second in the 200-yard backstroke.

Head coach Jess Book and the Lords swim team have a brief on-deck meeting before practice. With COVID-19 cases still on the rise, the team remains receptive to mask wearing and social distancing.

Claire Epperson exhales underwater, leaving a trail of bubbles in her wake. The first-year came to Kenyon after a high school career at St. George's Independent School in Germantown, Tennessee.

Joe Black, whose home is Kingston, Jamaica, is one of a few juniors on campus during the fall semester. Black qualified for the NCAA Championship his first year with the Lords and rang up a trio of top-4 relay finishes at the national meet.

Katarina Ilic has yet to participate in an intercollegiate competition, but continues to go all-out in practices. The first-year student-athlete came to Kenyon from Beograd, Serbia.

Topping off the Ladies' alphabetical roster, first-year Amanda Alfaro-Chiampou is a freestyle and butterfly specialist who calls Ciudad Cariari, Costa Rica her home.

Head coach Jess Book keeps an eye on his swimmers as he patrols the bulkhead during practice. Book, the reigning North Coast Athletic Conference Coach of the Year, is in his ninth season coaching the Lords and his eleventh season with the Ladies.

Diving coach Ron Kontura, in his third season at Kenyon, watches from the foreground as first-year Kathryn Teofilo finishes off a dive in the background.

Easing through a few laps with their kickboards, first-years Caleigh Wukitch (left) and Claire Epperson (right) share a smile.

Sophomore Nick Hong utilizes hand paddles while practicing his breaststroke technique.

Midway through practice, the sun sets on the west side of the Lowry Center and casts shadows throughout the Steen Aquatic Center.

Back on the diving boards, first-year Claire Fergusson takes off from three-meters up.

Another first-year, Sydney McCallie peeks over her kickboard during practice laps. McCallie is an individual medley and breaststroke specialist from Moseley, Virginia.

Late into the practice session, Sydney Buchman, a first-year from Houston, Texas, breaks out the hand paddles and works on her backstroke.

While swimmers continue to rack up practice laps, assistant coach Fernando Rodriguez takes some time to catch up on the recruiting scene. A 2004 graduate of Kenyon, Rodriguez has been an assistant with the program since the summer of 2014.

Butterfly specialist Liam Sweeney turns up the intensity as practices winds down. Sweeney is part of a Lords' sophomore class that is 13 strong.

Alexandra White gets in some final leg work before the practice ends. White, a sophomore, logged a pair of top-eight finishes in sprint events at last year's NCAC Championship.

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