OHS Senior named outstanding swimmer at statewide swimming, diving championship

Luke Roman, an Orange High School senior, made history at the 3A North Carolina High School Athletic Association Swimming & Diving State Championships for being named the first male outstanding swimmer from OHS.

Roman won the 200 and 500 yard freestyle events and brought the men’s relay team home for their first championship win. 

Roman said there was no better feeling than hitting that wall and realizing he won. 

“All I wanted to do was win and bring it home for the team, for those guys on that relay, and for everyone that supported me my entire career, as I knew this was my last high school race ever, and it truly was an emotional moment,” Roman said. 

For Chris and Lisa Roman, his parents, Roman being named the MVP was no surprise. 

Roman has been swimming for about as long as he’s been walking. From the age of 18 months, he took private lessons until he was old enough to join a swim team, which he did at 7-years-old. Since then, he has been involved in the Hillsborough Aquatic Club Swim Team, and his high school’s team. 

“I can’t think of anybody on our team that’s more deserving,” Ron Geib, head coach of the OHS swim team, said. 

Despite swimming six days a week year-round — sometimes multiple times a day — Roman has maintained a four-plus GPA and is adamant about keeping his grades strong, Chris Roman said. 

Brian Parker, Roman’s AP Calculus teacher, said that Roman is not only gifted in the classroom, but is also gracious.

“The thing that I will remember about him is just he was always so grateful for the extra little things that I tried to do for them,” Parker said. 

While Roman has been swimming his whole life, Geib said last year’s state championship marked a turning point for Roman. 

Roman won the 500 meter freestyle event last year, something that Geib said requires an incredible amount of mental toughness as well as athleticism.  As Roman’s coach, Geib said Roman has always had potential and been thoughtful about his craft. 

“I've seen him grow [to] a maturity level, being able to visualize the race that he wants to have and actually be able to do the work and practice,” Geib said. 

Roman became the captain of OHS’s swim team his junior year. Geib said he became a role model for many of his teammates, encouraging the kids that were new to swimming and celebrating their successes as much as he would his own. 

Roman’s teammate Ayden Twiddy said that Roman is good at pumping people up and making sure everyone on the team is ready to go. 

“He knows how to make people laugh, and I think he’s [the] best teammate anybody could probably ask for,” Twiddy said. 

Both Chris and Lisa Roman said they are incredibly proud of Roman’s success as a swimmer, but they are most proud of the kind of person and teammate he is. 

“He's a good kid. He cares about everybody, girls, guys, the whole team," Lisa Roman said.  "It doesn't matter. He just cares so much about everyone and never lets anybody feel left out. Ever."

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