Lucas Pels enters his first season as the head men's and women's swim coach at Chowan. Pels took over the program in October of 2025. Although Pels enters his first season as the head coach, he is no stranger to the Chowan University swimming program. Pels was a standout performer for the Hawks men's swim program from 2018-2022.
In his senior season, Pels was an all-conference performer in the 100 yard breaststroke and the 200 IM.
Following graduation from Chowan, Pels returned to his home state of Florida where he worked for Planet Swim Club in Pontre Vedra. In 2023, Pels served as the acting head coach for the CU swim program, coaching the teams at the 2023 Conference Carolinas Swim Championship in Tennessee during a mid-season coaching transition. During that championship meet, the Hawks claimed several podium spots in several different events on both the men's and women's sides.
"We feel fortunate to have Lucas join the staff officially," stated Patrick Mashuda, Associate Vice President for Athletics and Compliance. "Lucas has a ton of talent as a young coach and his enthusiasm for the sport is off the charts. I can't wait to see what Lucas can do with the program that he helped to build as a former CU Hawk swimmer."
