Senior year is full of reminiscence and bittersweet ends, and swimmer “I came to Georgia Southern and met with [On top of training, classes and homework, Bates works with a research group in the Chemistry department.  She works in nanochemistry on making cancer treatment technologies for certain cancers less toxic for the body, which requires at least 10 hours a week.

“I’m definitely very busy, but chemistry is something I’m very passionate about; I love it,” Bates said.

The business of a college athlete can be overwhelming and a support system can be very valuable. Bates explains that her biggest influences have been her parents, especially her dad, who has pushed her even when she was discouraged and determined to quit when she was younger.

“[My dad] has always been the one that said ‘I can’t make you do this, you have to do this for you’,” Bates said.  “I’ve had a couple really good coaches, Nate being one of them and my club coach from high school being one of them.  They’ve always been the tough-love kind of coaches where they push you through it, but they want to see you do well.”

Bates and her teammates will compete this weekend against Gardner-Webb University and the University of North Florida beginning on Friday at 6p.m.