WOMEN'S COLLEGE SWIMMING: ATHENS SENIOR COBB SIGNS TO SWIM AT WILKES UNIVERSITY (2024-04-25)

By TIM BIRNEY
Valley Sports Report
ATHENS — Athens senior Grace Cobb signed a National Letter-of-Intent to continue her swim career at Wilkes University here Thursday during a brief ceremony in the high school gymnasium.

Cobb said she chose Wilkes due to its academics, and the swimming aspect fell into place.

“I chose Wilkes for the pharmacy program,” she said. “I really like their academic reputation with that.

“Once I met both of the coaches, and saw how nice they were, and the type of family bond the team had, I wanted to be a part of that, too,” added Cobb.

The Colonels are coaches by Christopher Painter, who swam collegiately at Division I Villanova, and Emilie Detweiler, who is a Muncy grad, as well as a recent Wilkes grad.

Longtime Athens girls swim coach Shauntel Place has no doubt Cobb will be successful at the next level.

“She’s a very private person, but she has that inner-strength … she’s not going to tell you she’s going to win, but she’s going to win, and she’s going to work very hard.

“She loves the sport,” said Place. She’s a coach’s dream really … she’s very coachable, she trains really hard, she doesn’t say ‘no,’ and she does what she’s told. She’s going to do well.

“She’s been swimming with me since she was 8 or 9 years old, and she’s a fantastic girl,” added Place. “I am so happy she’s going to swim at college.”

Athens swim coach Mark Keister says her passion for swimming will help her achieve her goals.

“I’ve known Grace since she was a little kid,” he said. “She has done swimming lessons, and been a lifeguard with us as well. She really loves everything about the sport.”

Cobb, who hopes to stick to mid-distance events at Wilkes, said she needs to get stronger.

“I need to increase my weight training,” she said.

Place said Cobb just needs to “kick, kick, kick.”

“She needs to work on her kicking, and I say that with a laugh because we’ve been working on her kicking since she was little,” said Place.

“And, she needs to be communicative,” she noted. “She needs to tell people what she needs to be successful.

“I have no doubt she’ll do well,” Place added.

Cobb is looking forward to the next chapter.

“I’m very excited for college, and to swim at the next level,” she said.

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IN PHOTO 1: Athens senior Grace Cobb. IN PHOTO 2: From left: Nicole (mother), Jacob (brother), Grace, and Jason Cobb (father). … PHOTOS BY TIM BIRNEY.