Lucas Pels enters his second season as the head men's and women's swim coach at Chowan after officially taking over the program in October 2025. A standout performer for the Hawks from 2018–2022, Pels was an All-Conference swimmer in the 100-yard breaststroke and 200 IM during his senior season, cementing his legacy before transitioning into the coaching ranks. After a stint with the Planet Swim Club in Ponte Vedra, Florida, Pels returned to his alma mater as the acting head coach during a mid-season transition in 2023, where he successfully guided the Hawks to multiple podium finishes at the Conference Carolinas Championships.
In his first full season at the helm, Pels continued to elevate the program's competitive standard. At the Conference Carolinas Championships, he coached six swimmers to recrod personal bests and oversaw a historic performance by freshman Vanja Romic. Under Pels' mentorship, Romic shattered the Chowan school record in the 100-yard breaststroke twice: first at the King Midseason Invite with a time of 1:06.15, and again at the conference championship meet with a blazing 1:05.92.
The men’s side also saw significant success under Pels’ leadership at the conference championships. Aleksei Belolipetski earned Second and Third Team All-Conference honors, securing silver and bronze medals in the 100 Free, 200 IM, and the 200 Free Relay. Joining Belolipetski on the podium for the 200 Free Relay were Dimitrije Markovic, Robert Cabrera, and Stefan Reedy, who all earned Third Team All-Conference (Bronze) honors. Markovic added to his medal count with a bronze finish in the 500 Free.
"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."Â
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