ISLAND PACIFIC ACADEMY senior Corbin Lofton ’20 signed his National Letter of Commitment with the University of Indianapolis this morning at a special ceremony in the MPR. This Fall, Lofton will head to UIndy as a scholarship swimmer for the Greyhounds, currently the top ranked Division II Men’s Swimming Program in the nation.
Lofton chose to commit to UIndy because of the strength of its swimming program but also because the school was the right fit for him. “It just felt right,” shares Lofton. “I toured eight other campuses, and UIndy was what felt right for me.” His choice will bring him full-circle, back to Indiana – and family – where he grew up and learned to swim.
Lofton has been swimming competitively for 10 years, but his earliest swimming experience began when he was only 5 years old when his mom signed him up for a summer league after a coach’s suggestion. “I remember my husband saying ‘Why’d you sign him up for the swim team? He’s only five – he can’t swim 25 yards,’” laughs Heather Lofton, Corbin’s mom. “But that’s what we did!”
Lofton, who joined the Navigators as a freshman, has had many successes in his high school career. He qualified for the Hawai’i High School Athletic Association (HHSAA) State Championships in multiple events for all four years, including the 50 Freestyle, 100 Freestyle, 200 Individual Medley, and the 100 Butterfly. As a sophomore, Lofton finished 8th overall in the state in the 100 Butterfly. As a junior, he was the 2019 HHSAA State Championship runner-up in the 100 Butterfly. During his senior year, he earned the title of Interscholastic League of Honolulu Champion for the 100 Butterfly, and finished 3rd and 5th at the 2020 HHSAA State Championships in the 100 Butterfly and 200 Freestyle, respectively, posting his personal best times.
Even with all of those accomplishments under his swim cap, Lofton says the best thing about being a swimmer for IPA was helping out his younger teammates. “When we started, it was nice for me to help the other kids, to share my passion with them and hopefully have it blossom into theirs,” says Lofton. “It was nice to give back to the younger kids who were starting out.”
ISLAND PACIFIC ACADEMY swim coach, Alyssa Kuffel, has seen that herself in Lofton. “Corbin has been a great role model and mentor to many student athletes and is always willing to go the extra mile to help out. He’s a great example as he has the mindset that every athlete should have – dedication, determination, power and perseverance. Corbin never let a missed time or bad turn break him down – he gets up on the block and tries again, every time.”
Greg Terhune, IPA Director of Athletics agrees. “Corbin has always represented himself, his family and his school with such class and respect. Hearing swimmers and coaches from other schools cheer him on during his races, and congratulate him on the pool deck really shows the character he embodies.”
Lofton will take with him more than his swimming medals when he heads off to university. “Swimming has taught him how to set goals, work hard, and achieve those goals – lessons he can apply in life,” shares his dad, Bart Lofton. “He’s also learned the value of failure. He hasn’t always achieved his goals but he’s been able to turn disappointment into motivation. I’m happy he’ll take that with him beyond swimming.”
