Reid made a huge impact to the dive program during his first-year as a Panther. The Colorado native not only podium at the conference championships, but qualified for NCAA Regionals and competed at the NCAA Championships in North Carolina, being the first in Chapman Swim & Dive history to record points at Nationals. However, all of this success would not have been if it weren’t for the switch he made from gymnastics to dive during high school. Omilian states that “When I went to high school, they did not have a gymnastics team… so I decided to join the dive team with the little experience I had. I immediately loved it, and as I grew each year within the sport, I realized this was something I wanted to continue doing. Diving offers a great atmosphere to learn and grow, make friends, and it allows me to continue doing something I excel in. Chapman was my first choice because of the amazing facilities, location of the school, and the academics that are offered.”

When reflecting on NCAA Regionals and Championships, Reid said he “did not have any expectations besides enjoying the moment and taking in the experiences.” Being able to be surrounded by some of the divisions best divers allowed him to grow and learn as an athlete. As a first-year, Omilian “did not want to set unreasonable goals as I did not know what to expect at these meets” but after competing at them he is “motivated to continue working towards my new goals for next season… and I am excited to see what the next few years bring. ”

Omilian is excited to grow not only as an athlete, but also as a student during his time at Chapman. He states that his is “in an exploratory program for undeclared majors, which is allowing me to view my options and prepare me to declare my major… I am looking forward to continuing to work hard in both the classroom and the pool.” We are excited to see Reid compete over the next few years during his time as a Panther!