Elizabeth Lykins is in her 11th season at the helm of the UNC Asheville women's swimming and diving team in 2022-23. Lykins, who has guided the program since its inception in 2012, has made incredible strides with the program instituting a culture of personal growth, exceptional academics, and fast swimming.
The Bulldogs have been named a College Swimming Coaches Association of America (CSCAA) Scholar All-America Team all 20 semesters the program has been in existence. To earn Scholar All-America Team honors, a team must have achieved a grade-point average of 3.0 or higher for the semester.
The 2021-22 season for Asheville was a memorable one. The season began with the Bulldogs sending four swimmers to the CSCAA Open Water National Championships in September. The quartet of Hannah Bruno, Nora Segurola Larrinaga, Gaby Shenot, and Caitlin Hefner combined to place seventh as a team, while Hefner placed sixth individually. Asheville had plenty of honors to go around. Delaney Carlton was the CCSA Swimmer of the Week twice (October 5, January 25) and was the Bulldog of the Month in January as well. Mikaela Fullerton was the CCSA Swimmer of the Week on November 23 and Jade Canady became the first Bulldog to earn CCSA Diver of the Week honors on October 5. As a team, Asheville cruised through the regular season posting a perfect 8-0 record in dual meets and extending its unbeaten streak to 12-0 since October 2020. The Bulldogs continued to rewrite their record books with 10 individual freshman, one freshman relay, 14 individual school, and four relay school records all fell during the 2021-22 season. At the 2022 CCSA Championships, the Bulldogs had 11 podium finishes on their way to posting the best finish ever in school history (3rd). One of those podium finishes was Caitlin Hefner becoming the program's first-ever gold medalist as she won the 1650 Free. Furthermore, three Bulldogs earned NCAA Provisional Cuts throughout the year in Delaney Carlton (50 Free - 22.72), Abby Parks (50 Free - 22.74), and Mikaela Fullerton (100 Breast - 1:00.55). Carlton was also named the CCSA's Scholar-Athlete of the Year following the season.
In the 2020-21 season where the Bulldogs had to navigate the CoVID-19 pandemic, Lykins guided Asheville to a 4-1-1 record in dual meets marking the first time that the program had logged back-to-back winning seasons. Delaney Carlton was named the CCSA Swimmer of the Week on October 22 before being named the Bulldog of the Month on January 2021. Throughout the course of the season, the Bulldogs broke six individual freshman records, one freshman relay record, five individual school records, and four school relay records. At the 2021 CCSA Championships, the Bulldogs tallied seven podium finishes on their way to matching their best finish in school history (4th). Asheville received 48 points from diving in just the third year of the program. For her efforts, Coach Lykins won CCSA Coach of the Year honors for the third straight season.
The 2019-20 season saw the Bulldogs finish fourth at the CCSA Championships, which was a new program-best. Lykins was named the CCSA Co-Coach of the Year for the second consecutive season. Defeated North Florida on Senior Day to close out the regular season with wins in each of their last four dual meets marking the longest winning streak in the program's young history. Overall, UNC Asheville set six program records, including four during the CCSA Championships to go along with eight new freshman records. Following the season, senior Adee Weller received the prestigious George A. Christenberry Award. Weller is the first UNC Asheville swimmer to earn this honor and the first Bulldog to receive this accolade since the 2005-2006 academic year.
The 2018-19 season saw a program first as UNC Asheville featured diving for the first time since the program's inception in 2012.
The 2018-19 season concluded at the CCSA Championships in Lynchburg, Va. UNC Asheville broke a school record for the most points scored at a championship meet with 820, breaking their previous record of 663 in the 2017-18 season. The Bulldogs' sixth-place finish was the highest ever at the CCSA Championships. UNC Asheville also broke numerous school records during the championship meet. The Bulldogs' season wrapped up with Skylar Rogan winning UNC Asheville's second straight CCSA Scholar-Athlete of the Year award. Morgan Rulevich also won her third career CCSA Women's Swimmer of the Week award on Nov. 6, 2018. Coach Lykins was awarded with the CCSA co-Coach of the Year award for the 2018-19 season.
The 2017-18 Bulldogs concluded the sixth year of the program at the CCSA Championships in Athens, Ga. As a team, UNC Asheville broke a school record for the most points scored at the championship meet - 663. Also highlighting the championship meet was breaking numerous school records. Eleven individual school records fell in the four-day meet, while three relay records were shattered. At the conclusion of the season, Catherine Allen earned a prestigious honor, as she earned UNC Asheville's first-ever CCSA Scholar-Athlete of the Year award. Morgan Rulevich also won UNC Asheville's second-ever CCSA Swimmer of the Week award on Oct. 21, 2017.
The 2016-17 Bulldogs wrapped up the fifth year of the program at the Coastal Collegiate Sports Association (CCSA) Swimming and Diving Championships with a seventh-place finish, scoring 133 more points than the previous season. Included in the team's overall strong performance for the week were 29 season-best times and 44-lifetime bests. Among those fast times were seven individual school records, five freshman records, and two relay records. During the season, freshman Skylar Rogan was named the CCSA Swimmer of the Week, the first time an Asheville swimmer had ever won the award.
In 2015-16, the Bulldogs finished seventh at the CCSA Conference Championships and Lykins was named Co-Coach of the Year. The Bulldogs tallied 506 total points at the CCSA Championships, their most ever in program history. At the CCSA Championships, freshman Morgan Rulevich placed second in the 200 Yard Breaststroke, achieving the first NCAA Provisional (B) Cut in Asheville program history with her time of 2:15.45. Rulevich was also named to the All-Conference team for her efforts this season. As a program, the Bulldogs set 10 team records during the season and five freshman records.
The 2014-15 Bulldogs concluded their season at the CCSA Conference Championships where they amassed 422 points and finished in seventh place. That score more than tripled the Blue and White’s previous highest point total of 135 points set in 2013. Over the course of the four-day event, the team broke 10 school records and five freshmen records.
In the team’s first two seasons, Lykins led small teams to numerous achievements. The 2012 inaugural squad finished ninth at the CCSA Conference Championships. Despite only carrying eight swimmers, Galen Broido earned Asheville's first podium finish (2nd, 1650y free) and was named to the All-Conference team. In 2013, the Bulldogs scored their first winning season with a 6-5 dual meet record.
Prior to her leadership at Asheville, Lykins was an assistant coach under Neal Studd at Florida Gulf Coast University. During her tenure with the Eagles, the team achieved four-straight CCSA conference championships as well as a runner-up finish in 2006. Her coaching helped produce two conference Swimmer of the Year, and three Rookie of the Year awards while also generating numerous all-conference honors and team record holders. Additionally, Studd was named Coach of the Year twice.
Before arriving in Fort Myers, Lykins was an assistant for three seasons at Colgate University in Hamilton, N.Y. Her athletes posted 170-lifetime bests, eight individual conference titles, three varsity records, and 14 freshmen records.
Her first coaching assignment came at Georgia Southern University as a graduate assistant. In her two years with the program, the squad garnered three individual conference titles, six all-conference members, one female conference swimmer of the meet, and two top-three team finishes at the conference championships. While at GS, Lykins also earned her master’s degree in Sports Management.
After graduation, Lykins was the head coach of the Telluride Torpedoes for four seasons while also working as an income auditor and financial reporter for the Telluride Ski & Golf Company.
A 1998 graduate of the School of Business at College of Charleston, Lykins received her bachelor’s degree in business administration. She was a four-year letter winner on the swimming team and placed herself on the athletic honor roll each season. A captain for her junior and senior seasons, she was also named the women’s team MVP in 1998.
Lykins is originally from Gainesville, Ga.
