Senior Nichole Contesti currently competes for Oakland University, a swim and dive team in their second year as members of the Horizon League. Pete Hovland is the head coach at Oakland University, assisted by Shawn Kornoelje, Katie Sullivan, Andre Latour, Blaine Dolcetti, and Larry Albright (Diving). Oakland Swimming and Diving is known for their long history of success in the pool, starting in the Division II days. In Division II, Oakland won 20 National Championships between the Men and Women’s teams. After Oakland moved up to Division I, the teams continued their winning tradition, being undefeated at the conference championships 16 years in a row. Oakland University athletes are also known as the Golden Grizzlies. (Oakland University Golden Grizzlies Athletics, 2015)
Background
Nichole was born in 1993 to parents Nick and Yvonne Contesti. She has one older sister who also swam, and one older brother. Nichole began swimming at the age of 4 for the Macomb YMCA Marlins. When Nichole started swimming, she hated it until her coach said something to her that made her never look back. Although she doesn’t remember what her coach said that day, Nichole has enjoyed the sport ever since.
High School
At L’Anse Creuse High School, Nichole swam on the Varsity team all four years. For three of the four years, Nichole competed in the 200-yard freestyle and 100-yard butterfly. The fourth year Nichole’s coach had her swim the 500-yard freestyle, and after that Nichole became a distance swimmer.
College
2011-2012: Nichole’s freshman year, Oakland University won the 2012 Summit League Championships.
2012-2013: Nichole swam at the 2013 Summit League Championships, that Oakland University won.
2013-2014: In her junior year, Nichole was a scorer on Oakland University’s first victorious Horizon League Championship team. Individually, she touched 7th in the 500-yard freestyle, 4th in the 1000-yard freestyle, and 4th in the 1650-yard freestyle at the 2014 Horizon League Championships.
Nichole is majoring in Wellness, Health Promotion, and Injury Prevention in the School of Health Sciences. She swims for Shawn Kornoelje in the Distance Group.
