WASHINGTON (October 9, 2026) - There are rivalries defined by trophies. Others are defined by tradition. And then there are rivalries that mean something much bigger than the final score.
For Howard University swimming and diving, Battle at The Burr (BATB) has become a celebration of competition, culture, representation and access. An event that brings together elite collegiate athletes while reminding the HU community why the opportunity to participate in aquatics matters in the first place.
As the fifth edition of the BATB approaches, Howard Director of Swimming & Diving
Nicholas Askew sees the meet as more than another early-season competition. To him, it is an opportunity for the Bison to measure themselves against the best while establishing the identity of a team that, in his words, is different this year.
The Biggest Rivalry
Askew describes the BATB as "the biggest rivalry," in large part because of what the matchup represents.
The meet creates an opportunity for athletes to compete at a high level in an environment that is accessible to the Howard community. It is not simply about putting two programs in the same pool. It is about bringing the best athletes together and allowing them to compete against one another.
The best against the best.
That accessibility is especially important at an HBCU where athletic competition often becomes a shared cultural experience. For Howard athletes, competing in front of their community creates a different kind of responsibility and a different kind of energy.
This year, that energy is expected to be significant.
Askew anticipates approximately 2,000 fans in attendance, creating an atmosphere rarely associated with collegiate swimming and diving.
For a sport that can sometimes compete outside the spotlight of major stadiums and arenas, the Battle at The Burr puts swimming under the big lights. And Howard intends to embrace every moment of it.
A Different Howard Team
While the rivalry provides the motivation, Askew believes the biggest strength of this year's Howard team begins within the athletes themselves.
He points to professionalism, accountability and preparation as defining characteristics.
The Bison returned to the season in shape. They have taken ownership of their preparation, held themselves accountable and approached training with a different level of commitment.
Askew emphasized that the athletes are not simply preparing to perform well at the BATB. They are preparing to build something that can continue developing year after year.
"They are just different this year," said Askew.
That difference is not necessarily something that can be measured on a stopwatch. It is seen in how athletes approach practice. It is seen in how they take care of their bodies. It is seen in whether teammates hold one another accountable. And it is seen in the understanding that success is not built during one meet.
BATB may be one of the first major opportunities to display that growth, but Askew wants his swimmers to understand that the bigger goal is what comes afterward.
Using The Burr as a Cannon
For Askew, the Battle at The Burr can serve as a launching point.
He wants his swimmers to use the high-profile competition as a "cannon", a moment that propels them into the remainder of the season.
The idea is simple: Set the tone now. Perform under pressure. Embrace the spotlight. Then, take that confidence into every competition that follows. That mindset is particularly meaningful because of the setting.
Howard University is an HBCU with a national legacy and the BATB provides its swimmers and divers with an opportunity to perform in front of a large audience while representing their university, their families and their community.
For many athletes, performing in front of approximately 2,000 people can create pressure. For Howard, Askew wants it to create power.
Swimming Under the Big Lights
Swimming is often thought of as an individual sport, but Askew's vision for the Battle at The Burr makes clear that the event is communal.
Every race contributes to something bigger. Every swimmer represents a team. And every fan in the stands becomes part of the experience.
That is particularly significant for Black athletes competing in a sport where representation has historically been limited, but BATB creates visibility. It allows young people in the stands to see collegiate swimmers, who look like them, competing at a high level. It allows families to experience swimming as something that belongs in their communities. And perhaps, most importantly, it creates an opportunity to change the conversation around who has access to aquatics.
The Deeper Meaning of John H. Burr
The name of the event itself carries historical weight.
Askew pointed to John H. Burr, whose legacy was connected to advocating for people of color and expanding access and opportunity.
That history gives the BATB a meaning that extends beyond Howard swimming.
The meet becomes a continuation of a larger conversation about access. Who gets the opportunity to learn how to swim? Who has access to pools? Who sees competitive swimming as an attainable pathway? Who feels comfortable and safe around water?
Those questions matter because swimming is not simply a sport. It can be a life-saving skill.
Beyond the Scoreboard: Water safety matters
That is where the Battle at The Burr becomes deeper than competition.
Water safety remains an important issue within communities of color where disparities in swimming participation and access to swimming education have contributed to longstanding concerns surrounding drowning prevention.
The answer cannot simply be encouraging more athletes to compete.
It begins much earlier with children having access to swimming lessons, families having access to safe aquatic facilities and communities understanding that knowing how to swim is an essential life skill.
College athletes can become role models in that effort.
When a young person watches a Howard swimmer step onto the blocks, they are not only seeing an athlete. They are seeing possibilities. They are seeing representation. They are seeing someone who has developed a skill that can potentially save a life. And they are seeing an HBCU community celebrate that accomplishment. That is the significance of putting swimming under the big lights.
"Ain't no party like a HU party"
Askew's message to the Howard community is fittingly simple: Bring the energy and match the energy!
He wants Bison fans to celebrate the meet in true Howard fashion. Because, as he put it, "ain't no party like a HU party." But that celebration carries substance.
The noise in the stands represents more than school spirit. It represents a community showing its athletes that their work matters. It represents an HBCU embracing a sport that deserves the same attention, excitement and investment as any other. And it represents a legacy of creating opportunities for people who historically have not always had equal access to them.
Five years later, the Battle continues
Five years into the BAATB, the rivalry has developed into something larger than a head-to-head swimming competition. It is a showcase. It is a cultural celebration. It is an opportunity for Howard's athletes to test themselves against elite competition. It is a stage for approximately 2,000 fans to experience collegiate swimming in an atmosphere filled with HBCU pride. But, most importantly, it is a reminder that access changes lives.
Askew and his swimmers enter this year's Battle at The Burr determined to establish a standard for what comes next not simply for this season, but for the seasons and generations that follow.
The races will eventually end. The times will be recorded. Winners will be crowned. But the larger victory may be found in the young person watching from the stands who decides that swimming can be for them, too. Because the BATB is not simply about who touches the wall first. It is about who gets the opportunity to reach the wall in the first place. And at Howard University, that opportunity carries a legacy worth celebrating.
For more information, visit the Bison Athletics website at
www.HUBison.com.
