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Q: Head coach Ned Skinner has commended you on not only

being a tremendous athlete, but also a tremendous student as

an engineering major. How were you able to balance the two?

RO:

“I just really have to stay dedicated to academics. Swimming is a

huge part of my college life, but also, I mean, engineering is not easy. It

takes up a ton of time. So I just really have to use my time management

skills to get everything done in the short amount of time that I have.”

Q: Have you always been a good student, or did you have to

become one considering the program you’re enrolled in?

RO:

“I think I’ve always been a good student, but the experience

of college swimming and being an engineering major has made me

an even better student. I just had to develop skills that would get me

through all of the classes and the training.”

Q: Knowing all that you’ve been through in terms of the

training and being a student-athlete, what was it like being

named to the USA Swimming National Team last month?

RO:

“It felt great. It felt rewarding to accomplish that goal that I had

set at the beginning of the summer, and I thought it was a reasonable

goal. It was rewarding to have all of the hard work pay off. It was

definitely humbling to see that list, where there’s a countless number

of Olympians like Michael Phelps and others not just from this past

year. It was really humbling to be on the same list as them.”

Q: What’s your timeframe like with the National Team? Do

you know where they’ll be sending you first?

RO:

“I haven’t really heard much yet. You get the invite to be on the

team, and then they can select you to different championship meets.”

Q: So the main focus right now is to finish your next-to-last

year academically and your final year of eligibility?

RO:

“Definitely. My last year in college swimming is definitely the

focus right now. I just want to have a great senior season and build off

of last season and accomplish the goals that I’ve had for a long time.

Last year, I barely missed the top eight in the 400 IM at NCAAs. That’s

something that I definitely want to accomplish this year. I think I’m off

to a great start. The scenario is also the same in the 200 backstroke. I

want to be in the top eight at NCAAs.”

Q: You improved your time as the rounds went on at Olympic

Trials, and you kept gaining momentum. Do you feel like you

still have that same momentum, and what have you done to

sustain it?

RO:

“I think, as far as swimming goes, this summer was probably the

best I’ve had. It’s definitely a confidence boost going into the season,

where the success I’ve had this summer gives me confidence going into

the season. I think other summers have been solid, and I’ve always

gone into the season with a good mindset, but this year seems a little a

different because I’ve had one of the best summers I’ve ever had.”

Q: What’s your class schedule like this semester?

RO:

“I’m taking mechanical design, material science in engineering,

fluid mechanics and thermos dynamics.”

Q: Which one is your favorite?

RO:

“It’s hard to pick one.”

Q: Which Hokie are you most excited to see compete

this season?

RO:

“Obviously, I love racing the guys in my class, like Brandon

Fiala and Zach Switzer. They’re always fun to race, and they really push

you. As far as underclassmen go, Sean Workman is a backstroker, a

rising sophomore who had a great freshman year, and I think, as he

continues to improve, he’ll challenge me a lot in the backstroke events,

so that’ll be fun to race him.”

GETTING TO KNOW…

ROBERT OWEN

Robert Owen, a senior on the Tech

men’s swimming and diving team,

took the time to answer several

questions about the Hokies’ squad

and about his future

ROBERT

OWEN