On Saturday, the A&T women’s swim team won the HBCU championship for the 2007-2008 season. The ninth year coach for the Aggies, Shawn Hendrix, brought the team to a victory, which they hadn’t won since the 2005.

Despite the difficulties experienced by each of the teams, Howard’s loss of pool use and FAMU’s changes in coaches, the three teams made their way to the meet in hopes of a win. “We are a small team in numbers but not small in heart,” said Hendrix. The swimmers got off to a good start winning the medley relay, swimming at their best time of the year.

Top scorers for the Aggies included senior, Gia Wright, junior Donielle Campbell and sophomores Vinetae Wynn and Jewel Wright. At the end of the meet, it was Wynn and Wright who tied for the title of MVP, both scoring 17 points.

Junior print journalism major, Aasiya Townsell, a native from Cincinnati, Ohio and free swimmer on the team reflects on her experience at the meet. “We have fast swimmers, a lot of people just don’t know.” If they didn’t know then, they know now just how good the Aggie swimmers are. With attendants nearly filling up the stands, the energy of the team, according to Coach Hendrix, was nothing less than Aggie Pride. During the banquet following the meet, senior, Gia Wright, was awarded the news of becoming the assistant swim coach for next season beginning in fall 2008. However, she was unavailable to comment.

As newcomers to the Coastal Collegiate Swimming Association, the Aggies get ready for the Championship Conference, which is said to begin in three weeks on Feb. 21-23.

• Stacie Bailey