June 03, 2024

MSLB grads make history with ASU Swim & Dive

Two recent graduates of the Master of Sports Law and Business program at the Sandra Day O’Connor College of Law at Arizona State University helped bring ASU its first-ever swim and dive NCAA title in team history. 

Jack Dolan and Cameron Peel joined other Sun Devil swimmers to break nine school and three NCAA records over the course of the finals on March 30. Dolan swam in the 400 freestyle relay with a time of 2:43.40, setting a new NCAA record. Both Dolan and Peel were named 2024 All-Americans for their efforts. 

“It was awesome,” said Dolan, who also attended ASU for his bachelor’s degree. “When I first got to ASU, we were a fringe top 10 team, but you could see our momentum and progress over the past couple of years. Each year, we took huge steps forward. To see it all the way through was incredible.”

Peel transferred to ASU in 2023 for his last year of swim eligibility as a graduate student from Michigan. The MSLB program was a huge draw, he said.

“I knew I did not want to stay in the Midwest for my fifth-year eligibility and ASU had one of the best meets last year,” he said. “I reached out to them, noticing that I was their missing puzzle on the relay. At the same time, I looked at programs I would be interested in doing for my master's. It can be hard to find a one-year master's program, but I heard about SLB, and it sounded so awesome.” 

Originally from Atlanta, Dolan credits his time at ASU Law with his ability to network and learn more about the sports industry as a student-athlete. 

“You’re not going to find anything else in the country with connections, professors, leaders and people who have graduated,” he said. “Every corner of the sporting world has someone involved with the program. It was incredible, and I have zero regrets.” 

Peel said the MSLB program will be integral to his future, wherever that takes him. He encouraged interested students to take the plunge and apply. 

“I would say if you love sports and aspire to work in the sports industry, there’s no better place than the MSLB program. Work hard and be completely and truly yourself, and you will have a ton of success,” Peel said.

Peel and Dolan both crossed the stage in May with their diplomas. Next up: training for the Olympic trials and hopefully swimming for Team USA in Paris this summer. 

Aaron Hernandez, assistant dean and executive director of the Allan “Bud” Selig Sports Law and Business Program, witnessed the big win in Indianapolis. 

“Over the years, SLB has been fortunate to welcome multiple swimmers to our organization — Jack and Cam have added to that legacy,” he said. “Their commitment to SLB and performance in the classroom has made our organization better. While they spend plenty of time in the pool, they also spend a lot of time in the classroom and have grown as leaders. When you see them in action, you can see they will have successful sports careers. They are also wonderful men who their peers love. I am really proud of their performance here at SLB, and I am grateful for their contributions to our organization."

Written by Lindsay Walker