Written by Elisa Selamaj

As anxious seniors in high school, the concept of a fellow student committing to a college so soon in the year, especially as an athlete, seems unreal to us. Lower Moreland High School senior, Connor Killion, seems to have it all figured out. Connor verbally committed to the University of Virginia back in September and will be officially signing with UVA on Wednesday, November 8th. He will begin his academic and athletic journey at UVA in the fall of 2018.

Connor began swimming at the age of six and has been swimming for about twelve years. Connor swims for the Lower Moreland High School Swim Team in the winter and for the Central Bucks Swim Team year-round. His love for swimming stems from the incredible feeling that comes with “being a part of something that is greater than [himself], as well as [from] the success that comes with the extensive hard work put in by everyone on the team.” One of Connor’s favorite things about swimming is growing as an athlete with his friends by his side, while also helping others on the team grow to eventually reach and exceed their full potential as a team.

In addition to his personal growth in swimming, being a dedicated student athlete has also taught Connor important skills that keep him grounded, such as time management and efficiency. Connor wakes up at 4:50 am to go to swim practice before school and then goes to practice again after school until around 6:30 pm, leaving him only about three hours to complete all of his school work and studying before heading to bed. With such a packed schedule, Connor needs to be on top of all of his rigorous school work while also getting enough sleep to perform well in his practices and swim meets. When Connor is out of the pool and off from school, he enjoys spending time with his friends, family and his lab/pitbull mix, Cole. Connor also enjoys listening to country music, eating plenty of carbs, and watching any Marvel movie that may be in theaters.

Connor has envisioned being a collegiate athlete since his middle school years, and his dream came true this past September with his commitment to the University of Virginia. Connor chose UVA because of the unparalleled academic and athletic opportunities that the university offers. In addition to the exceptional opportunities offered by UVA, Connor was also drawn to Virginia because of the welcoming and hospitable faculty and the breathtaking campus. While Connor has committed to UVA already, he still has records to break for the remainder of his senior year. Connor’s coach, Coach McNear, says, “I have been very fortunate to coach Connor, who was All-American and State Champion in the 100 Back last year, on the nationally-ranked Lower Moreland High School Boy’s Swim team. We are extremely excited for Connor’s senior season as we have several unfinished goals to achieve.”

Connor is thankful for his family, friends, teammates and coaches for supporting and pushing him to be the best version of himself and to be successful in all walks of life. He is planning on majoring in pre-medicine and pursuing a career in surgery following his college years. Congratulations and good luck, Connor!