Built on tradition: How Ohio State’s winningest program keeps its tradition alive

Respect the past, defend the present, protect the future.

The motto that guides and motivates Ohio State’s winningest athletic program: artistic swimming.

Since 1977, when the program won its first overall team national title, the Buckeyes have become a perennial national championship contender, hoisting the national championship trophy 33 more times since then, the most of any Ohio State athletic program.

But in recent years, the Buckeyes have fallen short of reaching the peak.

The last time Ohio State’s artistic swimming team won a national championship was 2023. The Buckeyes look to get back to the top of the mountain as they head into the new season starting in January.

Head coach Holly Vargo-Brown said when you start to win a lot, people think it’s easy. Therefore, she reminds her team to take pride in each win.

“When you do win, you have to remember that it is something that you accomplished and it’s not just because you won last year,” she said. “This year will be the first year that we don’t have someone in the program that has won an overall national championship.”

As she heads into her 15th season coaching the artistic swimming team, Vargo-Brown said she continues to remind the team of the program’s tradition.

“So many people have come before us that have paved the way for the things that we are able to do today,” she said. “I think every year under my personal belt as coach is just making sure that the roots of the program are deep so that the stuff above the ground is very strong.”

Vargo-Brown described the team as a family built on connection and mutual expectations, which help build trust among teammates.

“At some point everyone is going to have to navigate through something that is challenging,” Vargo-Brown said. “It’s knowing that there is a group around you who you already trust and you know they are going to be there to help push or pull you through whatever it is.”

Maddie Romney, a fourth-year swimmer, said the trust within the team is built both in the pool through the help of the coaching staff and outside the pool with other team bonding.

“Out of the pool we hang out all the time,” Romney said. “We see each other 20 hours a week during practice but people also live together,  they truly are my best friends and we choose to see each other whenever we can.”

The strong team dynamic within artistic swimming is important when it comes to performing with others in sync.

Romney added that since the teammates swim for the benefit of the team rather than individual success, their team connection shines in competition.

“There’s eight of us and we’re completely in sync because I am swimming with them, not trying to compete against them to highlight myself,” Romney said. “I want everyone around me to be lifted up because I care so much about them and I trust they’re doing the same for me.”

Scarlett Finn, a third-year swimmer, echoed Romney and added how motivating it is to be a part of a program with a strong history.

“It just shows that the coaches know what they’re doing, we have systems that work and you’re the final piece,” she said. “We all are working towards the same goals so everything’s in place for you to achieve them, it’s more inspiring than it is pressure I would say.”