The Brown & White

Dedication takes heart, time commitment takes energy, and injury leaves pain. It is a constant cycle that leaves athletes drained but fighting for more. Lehigh prides itself it its student-athletes, and this year the Lehigh athletics community is losing a highly accomplished, highly dedicated bunch.

A senior linebacker on the football team, Tim Diamond has made a name for himself throughout the Patriot League over the last few seasons. He finished his career at Lehigh with 231 total tackles, including a league-leading 104 tackles last fall.

In his last two seasons, Diamond was named an honorable mention selection to the 2007 and 2008 Sports Network FCS All-America Team.

Diamond has been named to the Patriot League First Team the last two years and is now able to say that his team successfully defeated arch rival Lafayette College in his senior year.

Fellow fall athlete, Kalynn Davies, a senior forward on the hockey team, has also been a major asset to the Lehigh sports community. But Davies credits Lehigh right back.

"I grew as a person and a leader being a Lehigh student-athlete," Davies said. "I was able to join leadership groups I would not have been able to do if I was not an athlete."

Senior Matt Szalachowski, a guard on the men's basketball team, has been recognized for his academic accomplishment as well as his athletic achievement.

Szalachowski is a multi-year member of the Dean's List and Patriot League Honor Roll.

He was also recognized as a National Association of Basketball Coaches Honor Roll selection. His most prized accolade came in December when he was given a Lowe's Senior Class Award.

"The list consisted of 30 Division I basketball players who excel in the four categories of classroom, character, community, and competition," Szalachowski said. "It was pretty amazing to be part of such a prestigious award and see your name listed next to players like [University of North Carolina's] Tyler Hansbrough and [University of Connecticut's] Sam Young."

On the women's side, fifth year senior Claire Sullivan helped lead the women's basketball team to the NCAA tournament this past season. Although falling to Auburn University in the first round, Lehigh walked away with the Patriot League Championship after defeating Lafayette in the title game.

"Being part of this season was so special for me because we were able to win a championship on our home floor, in front of a great crowd, against our biggest rival," she said.

Sullivan is also a standout scholar athlete. She is a Presidential Scholar and has been named to the Dean's List and Patriot League Honor Roll every semester of her career.

Fifth year senior Trevor Chinn, a wrestler, had a major impact on the reputation of Lehigh sports.

Chinn has qualified for nationals on three different occasions. In his final season, Chinn had a record of 30-11 and went 19-5 in duals. Last season, Chinn placed fifth at the EIWA tournament and led the Mountain Hawks with 29 victories and 20 dual wins, earning him his second NCAA tournament appearance. His first appearance came in the 2005-2006 season after he placed second at EIWAs.

Chinn said nothing stands out in his mind more than the standing ovation he received for his final match in Grace Hall on Senior Night against rival University of Pennsylvania.

Arriving to Lehigh in 2006 from Penn State University, senior swimmer Melanie Rolish has really made a splash. She has earned both First-Team All Patriot League honors as well as Second Team accolades and has broken the school record in both the 100 and 200 breaststroke, as well as helping her team break the 400 medley relay record.

Another record-breaking athlete, senior Sarah Serwo has been setting new standards for the Patriot League over the past four years on the track.

Serwo has broken the 800 meter record indoors and outdoors, the 1000 meter record indoors, and has been a member of the record-breaking sprint medley relay, distance medley relay, 4x400 and 4x800 meter relays indoors and outdoors.

Last year, Serwo qualified to run in the NCAA regional meet in Florida. Serwo has been a Patriot League First Team selection numerous times and in her senior year is also now able to say her team defeated Lafayette.

"It made everything worthwhile in the end, and it feels great to leave with a win in my final season," Serwo said. "It's not how you start something, but how you finish it, and my class certainly finished with a bang," Serwo said.

Across the fields on Goodman Campus, senior softball player Lisa Sweeney has been carrying Lehigh to great heights with her pitching skills. Last year, Sweeney was named the Patriot League Pitcher of the Year. On the offensive side, Sweeney has set the home run record for Lehigh.

Sweeney will be able to look back on her Lehigh career and say that she competed in the NCAA tournament in 2006.

As her team prepares for the postseason this year, she hopes to earn a bid for the second time. This season Sweeney has already made appearances on the mound in 27 games and has struck out 175 batters.

As the spring season winds down and all the senior athletes are looking toward graduation, they leave positive impressions on the Lehigh community.

During women's lacrosse defender Sarah Fudin's senior year, she has already forced 20 caused turnovers and is known to be one of the best defenders in the Patriot League.

Fudin was named to the Patriot League Tournament Team in 2007 as well as Second Team All Patriot League in 2008. She has also been on the Dean's List for four semesters.

Fudin has one piece of advice for all the younger athletes with time left.

"Even when things get overbearing certain semesters or certain weeks and it's hard to imagine getting through them, you will, and you will again a couple months later," Fudin said.

"Suddenly it's all over and you have no idea where the time went. I finally feel like I can say that Lehigh has been the best years of my life."