Courtesy: Fordham Athletics
Fordham Swimming & Diving head coach Tom Wilkens is announcing the addition of Hazel Wilkins to the staff as a volunteer assistant coach of the men’s & women’s swim team.
Note: Wilkins and head coach Tom Wilkens spell their last names differently and aren’t related.
“I’m so excited to welcome Hazel to Rose Hill,” said Wilkens. “It is already evident that her enthusiasm, knowledge, and love of the sport will have a tremendously positive impact on the environment that Harry (Homans) and I are working to cultivate within the Fordham Swimming and Diving Program.”
Wilkins, a native of Long Island, NY, swam at the University of Vermont and graduated with two Bachelor’s degrees in Physics and Mathematics. She is currently pursuing a Masters of Data Science degree at Fordham.
Wilkins swam competitively for 15 years until she was unfortunately forced to retire from swimming after her first year at UVM due to illness. Since “hanging up her goggles,” Hazel’s passion for swimming has kept her involved in the sport as a swim instructor, assistant coach, and also manager for a varsity high school team — all while she was finishing her studies at UVM.
“The team brings amazing energy,” said Wilkins. “I can’t wait to not only develop my skills as a swim coach, but to also serve as a mentor and outlet for this generation of swimmers. I want to thank Coach Tom Wilkens for this wonderful opportunity to be a part of Fordham’s Swimming and Diving program. Go Rams!”
The addition of Wilkins comes just under one month after Fordham brought on former USC swimmer Harry Homans as an assistant coach in September.
At the 2024 Atlantic-10 Championships, the Fordham omen placed 3rd out of 11 teams, while the men placed 6th out of eight teams.
At the Women’s NCAA Championships, this past March, junior Ainhoa Martin, who swept the 200 breast, 200/400 IM at A-10s, became just the school’s second-ever NCAA swimmer, placing 38th in the 200 breast.
