Lily Hughes '22 Recruiting Profile

Well, 2020/2021 has certainly been strange for all of us.  While we had very limited opportunities to race here in New Jersey, we did have plenty of opportunities to train!  As a result, all of the fitness we built was targeted at the YMCA festival in early April, run in place of the YMCA national championships.

I was really pleased with how that meet went as I was able to drop time in all of my events.  The 200 and 400 medley relays were particular highlights as we set new team records in the 200 and a new state record in the 400, and I lead off both races with best times in the 50back (25.78) and 100back (54.86).  I also cut more than 2s of my 100fly (58.69) and over 5s off of my 200 back (1:59.27).   As we head into long course season, my two main goals are to improve some of my off events (100 fly and 200IM in particular), and to try get under the Canadian Olympic trials cuts for the 100 and 200 back (even though I obviously won't be able to go to the trials).

We have also returned to school online, and adjusted to remote learning.  I'm particularly enjoying my math, AP statistics and physics classes and I'm excited about the possibility of focusing more on subjects like these when I'm a college student.

I love the athletic challenge of training and improving that swimming provides, but more than this I love the satisfaction of being part of a team that supports one another and pushes each other to be the best we can be.  I can't wait to find the next opportunity to do just that!