Sky's the limit for swimmer, aviator Lucas Manke

By GENE McGIVERN

Tommie Sports Information

He's a leader in Army ROTC.

He's still a 4.00 grade-point achiever as a senior in his Engineering studies.

He's a grinder in the pool as a varsity athlete representing Tommie Swim-Dive.

He's a role model on his team and campus.

When you add in his humility and friendly demeanor, it's clear that St. Thomas senior Lucas Manke brings the whole package.

Don't just take our word for it. Leaders in the U.S. Army Reserve Officers Training Corps rated Manke this year's bluest of their blue chips nationally.

Among 6,000 Army ROTC senior cadets around the nation, Manke received the overall top score and was awarded the distinction as this year's top cadet. That elite national honor encompasses leadership, classroom and field performance, overall resume and recommendations of superiors.

"It's been a very cool experience, and this was huge surprise," Manke explained. "I'm very grateful for everyone who helped me get here. There are 6,000 cadets nationwide, and this award was determined among the top 3,500 cadets competing for active-duty assignments."

Manke was equally excited to learn that he landed his first choice for branch placement for his ROTC post-graduation service. He will commission as a second lieutenant, and be assigned to the aviation segment, continuing a family tradition. His dad has served as an Army pilot.

"I've grown up around Army aviation, and it's been a longtime goal for me," Lucas said. "The top cadet award was just the icing on the cake."

Meanwhile, Lucas has unfinished business. The Anoka High graduate will compete this week in his fourth and final MIAC Swimming and Diving Championships, looking to add to his solid swim resume in the pool. He's seeded sixth in the 200 butterfly. In last season's team runner-up finish, Manke scored in three events, with a best of sixth place in the 400 Individual Medley.

"Manke is a highly motivated and inspiring leader. He's extremely humble, and a true team player," said Major Melissa Hoaglin of the Gopher Battalion at the University of Minnesota, where Manke is affiliated. "Cadet Manke is constantly working to build unit morale and strives to set the example."

Enjoyable Journey

Manke said St. Thomas has provided him a great opportunity to thrive in the classroom, pool and in ROTC, and also experience personal and social growth.

"I can't imagine being anywhere else," Manke explained. "I'm not sure I'd have had the support at another school that I received here. There's a small community that allows you to excel in all my classes, plus a beautiful campus close enough to home."

The aspiring engineer took an analytical approach during his college search four years ago.

"I knew I wanted to swim in college," he said. "It's a time-consuming sport, and a lot of people get burned out after youth and high school, but it's something I didn't want to give up. I was looking for colleges with Engineering (majors), and places that had a swim team.

"My dad is in the Army, so I grew up surrounded by that world. My Dad never pushed it on me. He suggested that I keep it in the back of my mind. The more I thought about ROTC, St. Thomas had everything I wanted: ROTC, an Engineering major and a really good swim program. It checked all my boxes."

St. Thomas has an Air Force ROTC battalion on campus. But Manke is among a select group of Twin Cities college students who take Army ROTC take classes at the University of Minnesota, yet still pursues a degree on his or her own campus.

"We all travel to the University of Minnesota three mornings a week for training from 6:20 to 7:30 a.m., and we also have Military Science class each week," Manke said. "There are additional leadership labs, like in tactics and land navigation. The whole goal is teaching leadership skills, time management, providing hands-on experience, and tactical leadership. There's also a 37-day advanced camp in Kentucky you attend in the summer between your junior and senior year."

Manke admits that it's sometimes difficult to juggle so many priorities as a college student. The time demands, combined with the physical and mental stress, make for some challenging days. He recalled his first semester as a freshman facing obstacles on many fronts.

"Towards the end of my first semester, I felt completely overwhelmed," Manke said. "I had this questioning moment: Is this what I want to do? But I realized that the people on the swim team, the people in ROTC, and the people in my major all supported me. I took a step back and thought about the friends and relationships I was making, and that pushed me to go another semester. After that, it just solidified that I was doing the right thing."

As he's gained more experience, Manke said he's been able find a healthy balance.

"I get locked into a zone so often that over time I've learned to tell when I need a step back and need to take a break and enjoy the moment," Make said. "It's something I've learned to navigate.

"I find joy being at practice with my friends. You realize you will never be a part of a team quite like this again. I find joy being with my ROTC friends and fellow cadets, we get to do some unique things, and we remind each other how cool it is to be a part of that. And with the Engineering department here, I surround myself with like-minded students who are driven and want to do well. That has allowed me have a collaborative, social aspect.

"People would be surprised how manageable it has all been -- (Coach) Scott (Blanchard), my teammates, my ROTC patron and fellow cadets, and my professors have all been very understanding and willing to work with my schedule. That's what's been unique about St. Thomas, I never feel too overwhelmed."

At Home in the Pool

"Swimming has been such a big part of my life," Manke said. "Even before I did it competitively, just growing up in Minnesota and swimming in lakes I gained a love of the water. I liked it so much that I wanted to do it competitively.

"The team and relationships you make in this sport last forever. I'm still friends with the guys that I swam with in high school. All the training you go through together really brings you together. I know I'll be friends with my St. Thomas teammates forever. The family you build is special.

"It's a very unique sport. You put in all the work, and you get out what you put into it. It has kept me on a schedule, too. I can't procrastinate my homework. I have to wake up at 5:15 a.m., to get to morning practice on time. It has shaped me to be the person I am today, and it's fueled the drive I have in school and in ROTC."

When asked to share advice on making the most of college, Manke points to goal setting, time management, prioritizing tasks, and finding an outlet to help you decompress.

"Goals are super, super important to have, something we talk about a lot in swimming," Manke said. "In ROTC we talk about smart goals -- goals that are realistic and attainable. We talk about the value of short-term and long-term goals. My long-term goal to be an aviator has kept me going on the hard days."

Manke has recorded an A grade in all 38 of his St. Thomas classes so far with one semester to go. He traveled to Stanford University in 2018, part of a Tommie student engineering foursome selected for the University Innovation Fellows national program. That organization empowers students and faculty to become leaders of change in higher education.

When Manke leaves campus in May and prepares to report for flight training and his next chapter of Army service -- likely in Fort Rucker, Ala. -- he'll leave a legacy as the ultlmate, well-rounded Tommie student-athlete.

"Lucas takes a lot of pride whenever he gets into the water to practice or compete," said St. Thomas swim-dive coach Scott Blanchard. "With all he puts into the classroom, and his focus with ROTC duties, it's special to have a leader like that who brings such a high energy and work ethic to the team.

"He just brings everyone else along with him. He's someone that sees the big picture. It's been a special four years for us to have him with us."

PHOTO: Senior leaders Ashley Christensen and Lucas Manke pose for team promotional materials (Mark Brown photo)

University of St. Thomas Athletics

Sky's the limit for swimmer, aviator Lucas Manke

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