Shelby Iava - (Author)

By Lileana Pearson, Swimming World College Intern Bart Sommeling is a freshman from Lindenwood University Belleville. The business administration major is making his mark in the pool, particularly in distance events. Originally from the Netherlands he used a Dutch agency to help send our resumes and...

By Lileana Pearson, College Swimming World Intern This was Oklahoma Baptist University's last season with the NAIA. Head coach at OBU, Dr. Sam Freas, is grateful for his time in the NAIA which he's used to develop talent and character. "A famous coach said long ago that enthusiasm and motivation ar...

By Lileana Pearson, Swimming World College Intern Each year the NAIA welcomes in a new class of enthusiastic freshman. As new arrive, the seasoned NAIA seniors move on. As a final tribute to the senior classes' hard work and dedication to the division, we take a final look and say farewell to a few ...

By Lileana Pearson, Swimming World College Intern OKLAHOMA CITY - The NAIA Championships have been delayed by inclement weather. Ice storms and snow are expected to hit the Oklahoma City area this evening. Due to the weather, the annual awards banquet was canceled. The NAIA has since released the fo...

By Lileana Pearson, Swimming World College Intern The moment has come that we have all been waiting for. In one week, men and women will flock from all over the nation to compete and race against the most elite swimmers of the NAIA division in Oklahoma City. Championships are a time for seasoned sen...

By Lileana Pearson, Swimming World College Intern The NAIA is proud to highlight their top athletes, and in the past few weeks they have released their men's and women's players of the week. First up for men we have a swimmer from Union College in Kentucky, Nathan Lethbridge. The freshman originally...

By Lileana Pearson, Swimming World College Intern The weekend of February 5-7 was the inaugural NAIA Mid-South Conference Championships. For some it is the end of a competitive season if they did not make a National 'A' cut, but for others it is only setting the bar for the division championship mee...

By Lileana Pearson, Swimming World College Intern The wait is over. The annual NAIA Mid-South Conference meet is finally here. After months of training, endless competitions and amazing races, it is time for a last-chance meet before NAIA Championships. Teams will be tapered, shaved and ready to swi...

By Lileana Pearson, Swimming World College Intern This past weekend NAIA released its second annual Coaches' Poll. It announces the new top ten schools in the division, and serves as motivation to excel as NAIA championships draw closer. For men and women alike, it is no surprise that Oklahoma Bapti...

Photo courtesy: Steven D. Photography By Lileana Pearson, Swimming World College Intern NAIA Swimming has put forth another outstanding season. Winter training provided swimmers with some of the most difficult practices they've ever endured. Teams are fully focused on NAIA Championships and swimmers...

By Lileana Pearson, Swimming World College Intern When a college attends NAIA Championships, teams strive to have athletes make the podium. Lindsey Wilson College is banking on Laura Stephenson's swimming to earn her a spot on the elite platform. LWC is located in Columbia Kentucky, a small rural fa...

By Lileana Pearson, Swimming World College Intern Freshmen are the building blocks of NAIA swimming, and Concordia swimming's Hunter Sa-Nguansap is serving his structural purpose. Despite his new athlete status at Concordia University Irvine, Sa-Nguansap is still building his team up to be one of th...

By Lileana Pearson, Swimming World College Intern Each swim season, NAIA swimming is recruiting and signing better, stronger and faster swimmers, including the latest find in SCAD's Joel Ax. As teams progress and build strength, power house swimmers start to emerge and show that the NAIA is a divisi...