The last all-Black college swim team is on the verge of victory

As Howard University’s men’s and women’s swimmers step up to the block at the Northeast Conference Championship this week, they have years of losses behind them.

For years, coaches juggled other full-time jobs and practice schedules were inconsistent at best. Loss after loss made the message clear: Swimmers weren’t being supported. Some Howard swimming alumni pushed for the program to be shut down altogether.

One of them was Nicholas Askew of the class of 2000.

“It was a disservice to the student athletes that came here with hopes and ambitions of developing and getting better and not having a consistent coach,” Askew says. “My answer to the equation was just cut it. Stop having a program that's not being supported.”