Howard University swim team members were given the key to the City of Eatonville, Florida, on Wednesday, Jan. 8, and shared the news on social media.
“The Howard University Swim Team has been honored with the Key to the Historic Town of Eatonville, FL! A symbol of gratitude and recognition, this prestigious gesture celebrates their excellence, perseverance, and commitment to greatness.”
According to Fox 5 DC, the team was given the key to the city, due in part to the swim and dive teams going to the Rosen Aquatic & Fitness Center in Orlando every year during the school’s winter break.
The facility is located about 15 miles south of Eatonville.
Howard University’s swim team is the only Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCU) to have a swim team that competes at the Division I level.
“Almost speechless, and that’s hard to do for me. When they reached out to us and said that, it just solidifies the work we do. The work we do is hard; being D1 is a difficult task,” said Swim Coach Nic Askew.
The swim team will compete for its conference championship next month. And, yes, it is practicing at at the Rosen Aquatic Center.
“As an alum, it couldn’t make me prouder because when I was a part of the program, we didn’t have opportunities
like this. Either we couldn’t afford it or the resources weren’t available. Now, with my coaching staff and amazing support from our family and alumni, we’re able to provide these opportunities to be in this beautiful facility,” Askew said.RELATED CONTENT: T-Pain Honored In Hometown With Street Renamed ‘T-Pain Lane’