For the second consecutive year and the third time in five years, the Binghamton men’s swimming and diving team won the America East championship, securing a 775-722.5 victory over UMBC after trailing for the first two days. The women’s team also competed, finishing fifth overall. Competing over four days at the Virginia Military Institute in Lexington, Virginia, the Bearcats had four medalists and 12 top-8 finishers.

“We finished on a high note,” said Binghamton head coach Jerry Cummiskey. “The team showed resilience, coming back from a 70-point deficit. They stayed focused, believed in themselves and executed. We prepared them for being behind early, and that helped them stay composed.”

Both squads had a strong start on day one of the AE Championship. The men’s team won gold in the 800 free relay for the fourth straight year, as senior Elijah Lanfear, junior Liam Preston and freshmen William Deutmeyer and Evan Peters secured the win with a time of 6:30.32. Preston has now been part of the winning relay team for three consecutive years.

The 200 medley relay team of Lanfear, Preston, sophomore Will Fanning, and junior Max Kaback took silver, finishing 0.58 seconds behind UMBC with a time of 1:26.65. The women’s best showing came in the 200 medley relay, finishing in 1:42.13. In the women’s one-meter diving event, junior Elizabeth Tirado made her first finals appearance, placing fourth with 245.75 points.

“We made history this weekend,” Cummiskey said. “This is the first time we’ve won back-to-back AE championships, and that’s a testament to the hard work and dedication of this team. All 20 guys scored points. It took everyone doing what they were capable of to win.”

Day two saw two Bearcat men win individual titles. Freshman Cameron Stetzer captured the 200 IM in 1:48.71, becoming the first Binghamton freshman to win an AE title since 2021. Lanfear defended his title in the 50 free, finishing in 19.75 to edge UMBC’s Oliver Gassmann by 0.13 seconds. Peters took second in the 500 free, setting a school record of 4:22.74, breaking David Holmes’ 2007 mark and surpassing Preston’s 2022 freshman record.

Kaback finished sixth in the 200 IM at 1:51.69, while freshman Tyler Schultz placed eighth in 1:52.08. On the women’s side, junior Maria Pignatelli placed sixth in the 50 free with a time of 23.41, reaching the finals for the second straight year.

“This year, we had more standout performances,” Cummiskey said. “However, the team’s effort from top to bottom is really what got it done.”

On day three, Binghamton erased a 40.5-point deficit to take the lead over UMBC. Peters broke another school record, winning the 200 free in 1:35.90. Sophomore Harrison Lambert earned his first AE title in the 400 IM with a time of 3:56.18, and Kaback won the 100 back at 48.37. Lanfear finished second in the 100 fly at 47.02, while freshman Jackson Kennard placed second in the 100 breast, finishing in 54.81.

“We had some new school records and a lot of top-10 times in program history,” Cummiskey said. “We have a big group of new kids who are swimming and diving really well. For them to come in and not only have an impact but do things that have never been done before at Binghamton is pretty special.”

On the women’s side, sophomore Fayanne Smith-Salzberg placed third in the 100 breast at 1:03.28. Freshman Leonor Coelho set a program record in the 200 free, winning the consolation final with a time of 1:52.30.

“The men’s win overshadowed them, but it was one of our best women’s meets in terms of depth and contributions,” Cummiskey said. “We should’ve moved up past UMBC, but we have a bright future. [graduate student Courtney Moane, senior Lauren Schreiner, freshman Natalie Kassirer and Pignatelli] swam exceptionally well. The focus is on pushing them to keep improving.”

The fourth day started strong for the Bearcats, as they benefited from the high versatility in their depth. While no individual Bearcat claimed an event title, their strong showcase in multiple races and consistent top-five finishes across the board helped seal their victory. Notable performances came from Peters, who placed second in the 200 back with a 1:46.90 finish, and Kennard, who also secured second in the 200 breast with a time of 1:59.72. Preston also contributed with a fourth-place finish in the 200 back, finishing with a time of 1:48.61.

“Winning is becoming the standard,” Cummiskey said. “Our goal is to continue building, win more individual titles and improve across the board. We graduate two guys — Eli and [graduate student Jake Vecchio] stand in [as] our big pieces, but we’ve got a deep roster of guys that are gonna really contribute and a couple good guys coming to put around them.”

When all was said and done, the Bearcats boasted 11 all-conference selections — including six freshmen.

“This was the first time we felt like we would have failed if we didn’t win,” Cummiskey said. “Other years, we were disappointed when we lost, but this time, we knew we had a great shot and got it done. We really didn’t have much room for error, so having everyone contribute was a testament to the work they put in.”

With back-to-back America East titles, Binghamton’s men’s swimming and diving team sets its sights on the 2025-26 season, aiming to build on this season’s success with the hope of a three-peat and continuing its strong performance under Cummiskey’s leadership.