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 division that has a lot to offer and can support swimmers of high caliber.
Savannah College of Art and Design, more commonly referred to as SCAD, is a liberal arts school in Georgia which exists to prepare talented students for professional careers, emphasizing learning through individual attention in a positively oriented university environment. They offer more degree programs and specializations than any other art and design university and are part of the NAIA division.
SCAD’s swim program has been developing for some years now. Currently ranked No. 4 by the NAIA this season they have held nothing back at competitions. Recently, they have swum against NCAA schools and their men even placed first at the Brenau Invitational in Georgia. In the 2014-15 season they currently have 20 male swimmers and 23 women, making up a formidable team.
As competitions have been swum, a male athlete stands out. Ax is a sophomore at SCAD from Idstein, Germany. In the 2013-14 season Ax qualified for NAIA Nationals in the 1650 freestyle, 500 freestyle, 200 freestyle, 800 freestyle relay and was selected as the division’s Most Valuable Player for the 2013-14 season.
Upon attending NAIA Nationals in the 2013-14 season Ax’s relay team swam their event in a 6:34.98 setting a new SCAD record. Swimming an individual 200 freestyle with a 1:36.71 Ax set a second record for SCAD’s swim program as well as NAIA swimming. Joel’s coach, Chris Conlon says that one of the best aspects of having a high caliber swimmer on his team is the fact that Ax encourages and brings other swimmers up to his level and expects everyone to push themselves.
This season we can expect much more greatness from Ax. Currently qualified in a multitude of events for the 2014-15 NAIA Nationals he is projected to set the new record for the 500 freestyle as well as others. In addition, this year he is training to qualify for the World University Games. With two more years of eligibility in the NAIA you can be sure Joel Ax is a name that will consistently appear in the ranks of the elite.