Between practices, meetings and film study sessions, preseason football camp occupies most of Caleb Woodson’s time, though the Hokies sophomore linebacker tries to keep up with the Olympic swimming results the best he can.

As a long-time swimmer in the Junior Olympics who shined in the 100-yard backstroke when he was younger, Woodson’s got more than a passing interest in the sport. 

Though burnout and overwhelming time commitments eventually pushed him away from the pool and toward football and baseball in high school, the benefits of all those hours in the water, lungs burning from the aerobic exercise, helped him as an athlete.

“Swimming is probably one of the hardest sports,” he said, “just because you’re in the water, you’re getting after it.”

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