From Peddie to Open Water, Connor Signorin ’10 Makes a Splash

Connor Signorin ’10 developed a deep love for swimming during his years as a Falcon.

“Every time I get in the pool, I remember and think about swimming at Peddie,” Signorin said.

The 31-year-old New Jersey native achieved a remarkable feat by winning the eight-mile open water Swim for Alligator Lighthouse in Islamorada, Florida, for the third straight year. He beat both his previous times, finishing in 2:59:44.

Love for swimming and love for Peddie runs deep in his family.

His aunt Pam Owens ’82, was his very first coach when he was six years old and introduced him to team swimming. Owens and Signorin now live near each other in Florida, where she introduced him to the eight-mile race. Her daughter, Signorin’s cousin, Maggie Owens ’09, also finished the race with him this year, too.

“The Signorin family has been attached to Peddie and Peddie Swimming for quite some time,” said Greg Wriede, who coached both Connor and his brother Ryan Signorin ’12.

“Connor had a lasting legacy on the success of this team as he led our resurgence to the USA National Team and National Junior Team. His work ethic and his ability to handle some long, intensive workouts were unmatched during his time,” Wriede said.

At Peddie in 2010, Connor became the fifth member of a very elite group of swimmers to complete a 10,000 freestyle in under an hour and 40 minutes. He began his long distance career in 2008 at the age of 15 when he set a USA National Age Group Record when he competed in the 3,000 yards freestyle.

Signorin said Wriede was influential – and the favorite swimming coach he ever had.

“He created an environment in practice to advance me to the national-level in my age group for high school,” Signorin said. “He gave me goals. He said that I can qualify for the national team. I didn’t know what was out there, but he knew a lot about the swimming world. He really challenged me in everything I did.”

Signorin went on to earn a scholarship at Division I University of Florida, where he was a captain.

As he continues to swim in eight-mile swims, he said he is inspired by marathon-level swimmers doing the English-channel race or the long swims such as the Catalina channel swim. “It’s swimming in its purest form,” he said. “I’ve now transitioned my love for swimming to the outdoors and the ocean, amongst the sea life, jellyfish in particular.”

And he is proud to be able to continue to train and swim, even with a full-time job as an associate director of sales at PLS Logistics Services. It is a work ethic and balance he learned at Peddie, where he trained before going to classes and then again after they were finished. Now, balancing a job and training, he swims from 4:45 to 7 a.m. before going to work.

“I don’t know how to do anything differently, I can attribute that all to Peddie and the lifestyle I had then,” he said. “This is where I’m happiest.”