KNOXVILLE, Tenn. — Like most professional athletes, Olympic swimmer Erika Connolly had to overcome her fair share of challenges over the years. In January 2023, a herniated disk almost ended her swimming career and dreams of making it to the Paris Olympics.
"It was a really long and brutal process for me," Connolly said. It took her over five months to recover. "There were days where it was really hard to just get up out of bed or drive in the car. I wasn't able to complete the practice as I wanted to, and the fact that it took five months was really hard mentally."
Connolly said leaning on her faith helped her through those times. "Just trust that God has a plan for my life, and that no matter what, I have to choose to be joyful and be a good teammate to those around me."
As Connolly was in the final stretches of healing from her injury, an unexpected tragedy unlike any other shook the University of Tennessee swimming team and their families.
Ben Kredich, the 24-year-old son of head swim coach Matt Kredich, was hit and killed by an impaired driver while walking on Kingston Pike last August.
"It was just very tragic, and one of the hardest—probably the hardest thing this team has had to go through," Connolly recalled.
Coach Kredich recruited Connolly to the University of Tennessee in 2015. The Lady Vol attended the university from 2016 to 2020. Early on, Ben found a friend in Connolly.
"Ben adored Erika," Kredich said. "She always was so kind to him and amused by him and when people treated him that way, he never forgot it."
An inquisitive and charismatic young man with autism, Ben spent much of his time around his dad's teams and the pool deck over the years.
"Ben was just such a special person to all of us," Connolly said. As the Olympic Trials ended and she secured her spot on Team USA, Connolly dedicated her performance to Ben.
"Her doing it with Ben's memory in mind, it's beautiful. It's this loving gesture to Ben Kredich, and I'm incredibly touched by that," Kredich said.
Their passion for the sport they love propels them, but for Connolly and Kredich, the memory of Ben will forever connect them.
"Being able to make an Olympic team makes it even more special, because all that pain and all that time we spent fighting for something here at the pool is worth it," Connolly said.
On Saturday, the Lady Vol for Life made history at the Olympics. She secured a silver medal for Team USA—her third overall. According to Tennessee Athletics, Connolly is the first-ever Lady Vol swimmer to win three Olympic medals.