Aaron Cole ’00, one of Denison’s most decorated athletes, set four school records in his time with the men’s swimming and diving program.
Three have been broken, and Wednesday afternoon while standing in front of East Hall on Induction Day, Cole overheard a first-year student speak of his desire to break the fourth.
It was his son, Asher Cole ’29.
“My dad has one record left, and I plan on beating it in my first year,” Asher Cole said.
The statement brought a smile to the face of his father, a three-time NCAA individual champion and holder of the school’s 100-yard butterfly mark.
Asher Cole is one of 54 legacy students in the Class of 2029, and he could not be more proud of becoming a second-generation Denisonian. As he waited to move into East Hall — the same residence hall his father occupied as a first-year — Asher Cole already felt at home.
Asher Cole ’29, moving into First-Year housing.
Maybe it’s because he’s been coming to campus and following the Big Red swim program since he was a child. His mother recalls Asher sitting atop a relative’s shoulders on the day Aaron Cole was inducted in the Varsity D Association Hall of Fame in 2010. He’s accompanied his father to NCAA Championship meets to watch the Big Red win national titles. He’s swam side by side with his dad in the Denison pool.
“If there’s anyone who bleeds Denison red, it’s Asher because of his upbringing,” said swimming and diving coach Gregg Parini, who has delivered a combined eight NCAA titles for the men’s and women’s programs. “As passionate and devoted as Aaron has been, it doesn’t surprise me that Asher is locked in.”
Aaron Cole has been a tireless supporter and champion of all things Denison. When he and former teammate Thomas Richner ’97 created the award-winning animated short film One, they found ways to incorporate the university into the movie.
Aaron Cole ’00 was a three-time NCAA champion.
The 28-time All-American credits his liberal arts education for his success in the pool and in his work at Edward Jones, a leading financial services firm. Aaron Cole was a philosophy, politics, and economics (PPE) major.
“Philosophy doesn’t get a lot of love from the business community, but it teaches you to question things in a healthy way,” Aaron Cole said. “It forces you to consider if there’s a better way of doing something. My Denison education has been so important in my life.”
Asher — the oldest of three siblings — said Denison’s dedication to the liberal arts is a major reason why he followed his father to The Hill.
“I’ve always wanted to carry on my dad’s legacy, and maybe improve on it,” said Asher Cole, who’s yet to choose a major. “It’s one of the main reasons I’ve come to Denison.”
Asher Cole is motivated to break his dad’s 100 butterfly record of 47.43 set in 2000. But before he gets that opportunity, he must prepare to face off against a Denison legend at the annual alumni meet during Family Weekend in September.
“We’ve never had a head-to-head race in that pool,” said Aaron Cole, 46. “I’m at a bit of a disadvantage because of my age, but I’ll pick a race in one of his weaker events. It’s on.”
