It came down to the final race.
The Binghamton men’s swim team trailed going into Saturday’s final event, when the four-man team of freshman Brian Koralewski, junior Trevor Stone, senior Wade Rimbach and junior David Holmes won the 400 free relay to stun the two-time defending America East champion UMBC Retrievers at the Patricia A. Saunders Aquatic Center.
“I knew that the difference between winning or losing lied in that one race,” Rimbach said. “It took a lot of focus but I was confident that our swimmers had the experience and speed to ensure victory.”
Holmes admired the efforts of his teammates.
“On paper, their relay should have beaten ours,” he said. “But Brian, Trevor and Wade swam out of their minds to leave me in the best position I could have wished for to start my leg of the relay.”
In addition to the final relay, sophomore Kaan Tayla and freshman Brenno Varanda won two events each, and for the women, Aleksandra Grubic won the 100 meter freestyle.
The men won the meet 123-120, while the women’s team fell 166-74.
Since the men’s team finished second to UMBC at the America East Championships the past two years, earning a victory in this meet was sweet revenge.
“It’s hard to describe how amazing that win was,” said head coach Patrice Back. “The entire team truly has to believe that they can win and that every member of the team has the ability to make it happen. They believed. They made it happen.”
But the team knows there is work to be done to finish ahead of the Retrievers when it matters most.
“Winning the meet will add to the team’s confidence especially for [America East] Champs where we will meet UMBC once again,” Rimbach said.
Coach Back was inspired.
“I’m thrilled to have a team that isn’t scared to do what it takes to succeed,” she said. “The win is such a huge boost to their confidence. I think the win will help eliminate any limits on what the team and each individual can achieve this season.”
This was a meet where everyone in the pool and in the stands contributed, and every point in every race counted.
“That was a meet that everyone on the team will never forget,” said junior Pat Hart. “The energy from those cheering in the stands and from our teammates on the sidelines kept our hopes up. This weekend was amazing.”
He added, “We will still work as hard to get ready for championships. Just because they have an advantage in the standings doesn’t mean we won’t try to dethrone them a second time.”