Eatonville Celebrates Howard University’s Swimming and Diving Teams with Prestigious Key to the City!

During a ceremony on Wednesday, the Howard University Swimming and Diving teams received the Key to the City of Eatonville, Florida.

Although Howard operates out of Washington, DC, the swim and dive teams make their way to Florida for their yearly training expedition during the school’s winter intermission, practicing at the Rosen Aquatic & Fitness Center in Orlando, situated approximately 15 miles south of Eatonville.

Howard stands as one of the few Historically Black College and Universities (HBCU) to possess a swimming and diving program competing at the NCAA Division I tier. In recent times, under the leadership of Head Coach Nicholas Askew, the program has experienced remarkable achievements. In 2023, the Bison men secured the program’s inaugural conference championship title, concluding the season as the Northeast Conference (NEC) Men’s Champions, just shy of finishing as the runners-up at the 2024 Championships. The women’s squad also achieved their program’s highest placement at the 2024 NEC Championships, finishing as the runners-up.

Askew expressed his gratitude regarding the honor of being awarded the Key to the City, “[I’m] Almost left without words, and that’s a challenge for me. When they [the City of Eatonville] reached out to us and stated that, it truly affirms the efforts we put in. The work we do is demanding; competing at D1 is a formidable endeavor.”

Being an alumnus of Howard himself, Askew also conveyed his appreciation for the opportunities extended to his athletes, “As an alum, it couldn’t make me prouder because when I was part of the program, we didn’t have chances like this. Either we couldn’t afford it or the resources were lacking. Now, with my coaching staff and tremendous backing from our family and alumni, we’re capable of providing these opportunities to utilize this wonderful facility.”

Askew has notably undertaken significant initiatives to promote the sport of swimming, particularly NCAA swimming, to the wider audience. In 2022, he launched a swimming showcase called the “Battle at the Burr,” which garnered record attendance and included a DJ. In subsequent years, the team has hosted several other dual meets following a similar format, resulting in consistent attendance and national recognition.

Numerous Howard swimmers also expressed gratitude towards the City of Eatonville for the recognition, with one swimmer mentioning, “I am incredibly thrilled. It is a privilege to accept the key to the city today. I just want to extend my thanks to God for all the blessings and everything he has done for me.” Another member reflected on the significance of the program as the sole HBCU swimming at the Division I level, “We are historic and paving the way for future Black Americans to also learn to swim.”