During Nicolas Christiansen’s (’23) senior year at Green Hope, the men’s swim team placed 10th overall in the state. He was a scoring member of the team all four years he swam at Green Hope. His journey in swimming began at the age of five. For the past 15 years, swimming has been a significant part of his life leading him to swim in college.
Christiansen decided to commit to Roanoke College due to the team’s strong sense of community. He was impressed with how close the team was and this made him feel confident in his decision. “The team felt like a family to me,” he said. This sense of camaraderie is something that he values deeply, especially as he transitioned from the high school level to collegiate swimming which brings with it an unfamiliar dynamic.
One of the biggest differences between swimming in high school and college is the structure and the training environment. At Green Hope, many swimmers practice with their local club teams throughout the year. This leads to some swimmers splitting time between school practices and club commitments. In college, however, the team trains together as a cohesive unit. This allows the college team to strengthen their skills as a group and also fosters a sense of unity and collaboration. Christiansen enjoys the bond that formed from this shared experience, as all the swimmers are working together towards a common goal. “Since in college we all train together the team is able to build deeper connections with one another,” he said.
For Christiansen, his training at Roanoke is focused on sprints. His strongest strokes are Freestyle and Butterfly. His personal bests in these strokes show his overall dedication. For the 50-yard Freestyle, he has a personal best of 22.06 seconds while his 50-yard Butterfly is 24.46 seconds. These times showcase his commitment to swimming and improving his performance in the pool.
Despite facing challenges, such as a shoulder injury during the season, Christiansen was able to continue competing because of the support of Roanoke College’s athletic trainer. The trainer not only helped him manage this injury but also is a critical part of the team that ensures that all swimmers are physically prepared. Christiansen credits the athletic staff with playing a key role in keeping the team healthy and focused throughout the season.
The atmosphere at college meets has been another highlight for Christiansen. He describes the energy at meets as supportive, with teammates cheering for one another regardless of the outcome. “Meets are super high energy and everyone supports one another no matter what. Swimming at the college level has been fun and the team is very close with one another,” he said. This sense of unity and encouragement creates a motivating environment, both during training and at competitions.
As of midseason, Roanoke College’s men’s swim team remained undefeated in dual meets and is currently ranked second overall. With the championship season fast approaching, Christiansen and his teammates are optimistic about their chances at the upcoming meets including the championship event in February. “We are likely to place either first or second at the championship meet and we’re all excited to see how we perform as a team,” Christiansen said. He is looking forward to what the rest of the season will bring.
