St. Bonaventure

As his peers attest, James Hickey was one of the top swimmers ever at St. Bonaventure.

In his freshman season of 1971-72, he helped set the school 400 freestyle relay record with Mark Lutterbein, Paul Morley and John Martin. His sophomore year, Hickey teamed with Lutterbein, Martin and Richard Bohan to establish a school record in the 800 freestyle relay.

Hickey would expand on his achievements in the 1974 Upper New York State Swimming Championships. There, he won the 400 individual medley, was second in the 200 backstroke, fourth in the 200 individual medley -- establishing school records in all three events -- and was second in the 800 freestyle relay in the same meet. 

By the beginning of his senior year, the team captain held the school records for the 500, 1000 and 1650 freestyles, the 200 backstroke as well as the 200 and 400 individual medley events and was a member of the 400 and 800 yard freestyle relay record teams.  Later in the year, he also gained school records in the 100 and 200 yard freestyle events. In the 1975 Eastern Collegiate Invitational -- the final meet of his career -- he improved those records in the 200 backstroke, 200 individual medley and 400 individual medley. He also swam the lead-off backstroke leg of the 400 medley relay that set a school record.  Upon graduation, he held eight individual school records and was a member of three relay record teams.

In 1975, he received the inaugural B. Douglas McDevitt Award for Outstanding Student-Athlete from the Upper New York State Swimming Association. 

A Dean’s List student, Hickey graduated from St. Bonaventure in 1975 with a pre-law BA-Philosophy degree and was the featured student speaker at the graduation ceremonies.  He served as assistant swim coach at the United States Military Academy at West Point for three years.  He earned a master’s degree in business administration from the University of North Carolina in 1980 where he was an assistant swim coach for two seasons.