Junior Eric Correa and the 12 members of the Mount Carmel swimming team took to sectionals on Saturday, February 18, at the University of Illinois at Chicago.  For the second consecutive year, Correa won sectionals, advancing to the Illinois State Finals.  Then, on February 25 at New Trier High School, Correa finished as state runner-up.  After that accomplishment, he focused on one remaining goal: “Next year, I hope to win the whole thing.”

Since he first came to Mount Carmel, junior Eric Correa has broken records for Mount Carmel diving. He was the school’s first diver in recent memory, an achievement in itself considering the school’s pool doesn’t even have a diving board. Correa has to drive all the way to the University of Illinois at Chicago every day during diving season to use their pool. Still, this season was his best yet, breaking numerous records and making Mount Carmel proud.

This season, Eric broke three pool records: one at the Argo Diving Invite, another at Evergreen Park Swim and Dive Invite, and another at York Diving Invite. In addition, on Saturday, February 3, Correa won the Chicago Catholic League (CCL) conference diving championship at Fenwick High School. He is the first student in Mount Carmel history to win this title.

Every year, the coaches from each CCL school vote on who should be named “Diver of the Year.” Correa won this honor for the second year in a row.

Coach Tina Grunauer, the school’s swimming coach who has worked with Eric throughout his three years, is extremely proud of Eric’s accomplishments. “His talent is unlike anything I have ever seen!” noted Grunauer. “Eric has exceeded every expectation that I have ever had for him.” Grunauer is also very excited about Correa’s future in diving, claiming that he is going to be “a force to reckon with” next year.

Reflecting on his accomplishments, Correa noted it was “a season of huge mental and physical improvement for me.” He is very glad to have been able to represent Mount Carmel these past three years, and hopes he can continue to make MC proud.