By Joel Jackson
Staff Writer
Jeanette Dietrich has been an instrumental part of the St. Bonaventure women’s swimming team over the past four years, but now, she is looking ahead toward graduation and her last meet as a Bonnie. She reflected on the great memories she has had at St. Bonaventure.
The senior freestyle swimmer who hails from Dorsten, Germany is getting set for Atlantic 10 Championships next weekend in Geneva, Ohio.
Dietrich was a part of Head Coach Seth Johnson’s first recruiting class at St. Bonaventure, which had a major impact on building the current program.
“Jeanette has been great for us,” Johnson said. “She was part of my first recruiting class with Whitney Daugherty and McKenzie Courtney, so they came here without any track record of what we’re able to do here. They kind of trusted us with what we were going to be able to do and what we talked about. (We knew) that this program was going to have some growing pains, and now the seniors are reaping the benefits of it.”
Looking ahead to this next weekend, Dietrich knows that her final A-10 championship meet is going to be sentimental.
“It’s a bittersweet feeling,” Dietrich said. “I started swimming when I was five years old. I had my first meet right around that time, and now, 18 years later, everything is coming to an end. It’s crazy to think about, but I guess it’s time for me to move on. I believe A-10s are going to be a very emotional meet for me.”
Dietrich and the rest of the Bonnies will look to prove that they are one of the better teams in the A-10 when they take the pool next weekend. Dietrich said she thinks this team is poised to do better than teams in her previous seasons.
“We’re probably better prepared than we’ve ever been before,” Dietrich said. “Not only have we practiced really hard this year, but we also are a better team overall. We all get along great with one another and are all really happy to be part of such a great team. Such a positive attitude carries over into the pool. We know what we have done in practice all season long, and we’re ready and excited to get out there, race the other A-10 teams and show them that they shouldn’t forget about us.”
Dietrich will aim to end her career in the Brown and White on a positive note, and she said she hopes to have the best performance of her career.
“I want to end my swimming career well.” Dietrich said. “My season has been really good thus far, so I can hopefully swim some best times and once again make it back to finals in all my races. Placing in the top three would obviously be amazing, but overall, I want to swim faster than ever before. That’s all I can do.”
Johnson is excited about what Dietrich’s senior leadership can bring to his team for A-10’s.
“She brings maturity and experience,” Johnson said. “She knows what to expect, what the atmosphere is like at A-10s and also, she’s old. She’s 23. She has been swimming for a long time both at A-10s and international competitions, so she is able to be a calming influence on our younger kids on the team.”
Dietrich has enjoyed her time swimming for St. Bonaventure but she says the moment she remembers the most occured during A-10 championships in 2011.
“Overall, my time at Bonaventure has been amazing. When it comes to swimming though, placing third at A-10s in the 200 medley relay my freshman year would definitely be a highlight. It was such a great feeling especially because nobody expected us to podium.”
Dietrich said she has also enjoyed the experiences and relationships that the St. Bonaventure community has offered her outside of the pool.
“I’d have to say that the people I’ve met and the friends I’ve made were the main reason for why I love Bonaventure so much,” she said “It’s like being part of a family, a family that I will keep in my heart forever, even after graduating in May.”
Dietrich has enjoyed her time at St. Bonaventure so much that she doesn’t want to end up working too far away next year.
“I am actually planning on staying pretty close to Bona’s.” said Dietrich. “I am looking for jobs in Buffalo and have decided not to go back to Germany, at least not right now. It was a tough decision to make but by now I do have a great life here in America so why not stay here?”
