It’s not often that a freshman sets an all-time school record at the Division I level. Last year, swimmer Aubrey Hull put Vanderbilt’s swimming team on notice when she set the all-time school record in the 100 back.
It’s also not often you meet a person who grew up in such a sport-centered environment and who can attest to how much it meant to her athletic career. For Hull, swimming and family go hand-in-hand.
“My whole family swims. My dad swam at the [Division I] level in the SEC at Auburn,” Hull said. “My mom swam at Georgia Southern, and my older brother swims in Division II now. So, I’ve always [grown] up around swimming.”
This type of environment was pivotal to her later development as an athlete, but Hull’s personal swimming journey didn’t start until middle school.
“My dad kind of burnt out at the end of his college experience, so he wanted us to start later,” Hull said. “So I ended up choosing between volleyball and swimming around 12, and then I just kept going with swimming. Ever since then, it’s kind of just been an upward progression.”
Her progression was more than just winning some races. As a sophomore in high school, Hull advanced to the finals of the 100 back at both the conference and regional meets and finished second in the 100 back at the state Long Course Senior Championships. As a junior, she raised her level again, this time qualifying for the 2023 U.S. Open in the 100 back, placing second in the 100 free at the NCHSAA 4A Western Regional and placing third in the 100 back at the conference championships that season. And finally, as a senior she topped the podium in the 100 back and placed fourth in the 50 free at the NCHSAA 4A state championship after winning both events at the regional meet.
During high school, Hull said she started to realize her dreams of swimming at the Division I level could be a reality. Following in her dad’s footsteps seemed like a real possibility.
“It’s a cool experience learning from him,” Hull said. “I always ask him questions about what I should be doing or just get his opinion. But he’s more been a support system for me.”
With the support of her dad and the rest of her family, Hull’s high school career flourished and ended with a highlight reel of accomplishments. As a senior, Hull won the 100 (53.03) and 200 (1:55.84) back at the NC STAR Tarheel States, recorded a top 25 finish in the 100 back at the U.S. Olympic Team Trials and was the No. 4-ranked recruit in the state of North Carolina.
Her success made the transition to swimming at the college level less daunting, but it’s still a challenge for any athlete. That’s when having a strong coaching staff and supportive teammates becomes most important.
“I work with all of the coaches, and they’re all really supportive,” Hull said. “[Head coach] Jeremy Organ has been really awesome with the ups and downs of transitioning into college. If you need something, he’ll always give it to you. So, they’ve been great.”
College swimming also gave Hull the opportunity to get closer with her teammates, a bond which continues to drive her performance.
“In high school, it’s so individualized and based on your times,” Hull said. “And then when you get to college, it’s more based on you scoring bits for your team and doing it all together. We have a great team. All the girls are so supportive, and everyone’s just good friends, [so] that it makes it so easy to get along so well, and everyone’s so supportive.”
The combination of a coaching staff that brings out the best in their swimmers and a supportive team around her led Hull to excel throughout the start of her college career. She won the 100 back (55.36) in her collegiate debut at Tulane. From there, she continued to improve. Hull set the school record and then broke it in the 100 back with a time of 53.49 at Toyota U.S. Open Championship. The moment showcased her immense growth throughout the season and potential to be one of the all-time great swimmers at Vanderbilt.
However, one of the difficulties with finding success so quickly in a sport is the pressure that comes with maintaining it. It can often feel like you have to out-perform your past self just to keep improving. This feeling is something many athletes face, but for Hull, it’s just another aspect of her personal growth.
“[Last year] I definitely put a good amount of pressure on myself to do well. And this year I’ve been having some more fun with it,” Hull said.
That mentality has given her the ability to focus on the little things — prioritizing technical improvement and letting her times in the pool follow.
“Setting the small goals, like the technique goals, faster turns and stuff like that, really makes a difference,” Hull said. “You’re just trying to beat your time by a little bit. Fine tuning everything throughout the season to do well and PR at the end of the season is your best goal.”
As the Vanderbilt swim team competes in the SEC Championships in Knoxville this week, Hull will put together everything she’s learned in her swim career — from middle school swim meets to training for Division I competition — and try, once again, to set a personal best in an event where she already holds the all-time mark at Vanderbilt. That’s what record breakers do.
