UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. – Penn State men's and women's swimming & diving announced six season captains today. Seniors Wei Wei, Ellie Tiskus and Emma Harvey head the 2022-23 women's team while seniors Kevin Sullivan and Lachlan Bryne and graduate student Will Lulek guide the men.
"They have the ability to step back and see everyone, to step outside of the group and look at the team," head coach Tim Murphy said. "Culture-wise we're now able to streamline the communication between the coaches and athletes, to make sure we're on the same page. And I think we're in a good position, we've got good people. And it's still about the whole team, they know what they are and aren't responsible for. I'm excited about it."
Captains serve mainly as communicators between athletes and coaches and take on organizational roles regarding recruiting, team activities and apparel.
"We'll have a better relationship with them (coaches) and a better relationship amongst each other" senior swimmer Devon Forker said. "They're the ambassadors, it's everyone's decision."
The men and women elected this season's respective captains, voting on two swimmers and one diver as crucial communicators and role models in promoting expectations.
"It means the world to be able to serve this program in the right way and have the team's confidence, to be backed up by everyone," elected-captain Lulek said. "I'm just trying to make their vision a reality. From what we talked about during the summer, from last year – trying to develop this team to be the best we can possibly be. We'll make it a fun year and we'll swim fast."
Men's Team Captains:
Lachlan Byrne:
Byrne hails from Australia and aspires to enter the medical field as a neurosurgeon or pediatrician. In the 2021-22 postseason, the senior swam as a part of the record-breaking 400-medley relay at B1G Championships and later earned 21st place in the nation, and another school record, at the collegiate championships alongside his teammates in the 200 Medley.
"Lachlan has grown a lot as a leader and an athlete in the year that I've known him," Nonnenberg said. "He's willing to put in the work to make this program better than when we got here, and you can see that he's dedicated in the energy that he brings to the pool and his teammates. I think he's going to be critical to us performing at a much higher level than we have in the past."
Will Lulek:
Lulek, a graduate student from Stockholm, Sweden represented his homeland in Rome at the European Auquatic Championships this past summer, swimming both the 200 and 400 IMs and the 200 Breast. He ranks as the second and seventh quickest all-time Nittany Lion in the 400 and 200 IMs and the fifth fastest in the 200 Breast.
"I've been at Penn State for a year and since I arrived Will's made an immediate impact on my career," assistant coach Mia Nonnenberg said. "He's always put Penn State first and you don't come around a lot of people that are willing to put the type of work he puts in every single day. He carries himself as an elite swimmer and can take this program to the next level. It's deserving that he was elected out captain."
Kevin Sullivan:
Sullivan represents men's diving as a senior captain and a psychology major. After bouncing back from injuries and adversity, he's earned a CSCAA Scholar All-America Honorable Mention, finals appearance in 2020's NCAA Zone A Regionals and notable second place score in the 1 Meter dive against Virginia Tech.
"He's always had that natural leadership," diving coach Jeff DiNicola said. "He's been involved in leadership council on the team so he's just continuing to lead, which is fantastic."
Women's Team Captains:
Emma Harvey:
Harvey specializes in back and fly and recently saw international success at the 2022 Commonwealth Games in Birmingham, England. The senior economics major, representing Bermuda, competed in four events and advanced to semifinals in the 50 and 100 Back.
"She exemplifies what it means to be a true leader in and out of the pool – always there to not only support her teammates but push them to be even better than they were the day before," assistant coach Austin Pillado said. "It's an honor to have worked with her closely for the past two years, and going into her season year this season, I'm looking forward to what she'll do as a captain."
Ellie Tiskus:
Pittsburgh-native Tiskus excels academically as a Schreyer Honors Scholar and aspiring law school student.
"Ellie is one of the most driven individuals I've ever met - in the pool, the classroom, the weight room," Pillado said. "She's always trying to strive for nothing short of perfection, and I think that's why she's going to be an exceptional leader as a captain and be able to push her teammates to do the same."
Wei Wei:
Wei represents women's diving as a senior captain and aspiring medical professional. She's competed for the Nittany Lions at B1G Championships three consecutive times, qualified for finals at the 2022 NC State Invitational and won several diving events throughout the past year.
"I think it's a good opportunity for Wei to step up and step in front of the team and help lead us in the right direction in the right way," DiNicola said. "She's always been a great person, a great human on and off deck."
