Although the Binghamton University swimming and diving head coach Sean Clark dwells around the waters of the Aquatics Center in the West Gym, his thirst for success is never quenched. He is looking for more than improvement in his squad as it eases into the season. Clark has some milestones he wants to achieve.
“I’ve been pretty pleased with our progress, but I am not satisfied,” he said. “There is always room to be better.”
Last season the men’s swimming and diving team came in third place in the America East Conference, snapping a four-year second-place finish. A tough loss against Boston University decided the team’s fate. The women’s team made progress last season, placing sixth in the tournament. Maryland-Baltimore County claimed the last AE championship.
This season the team wants to further its goal by moving up a spot in the America East Conference.
“For the men’s team, we are going to make a good push at [Boston] this season,” Clark said. “As for the women’s team, we finished not last for the first time in three years. We definitely have our sites on Maine.”
The men’s team has a talented group of athletes. At the forefront is senior Brenno Varanda. Varanda broke both the Bearcats and the America East record with a time of 2:02.78 in the 200-yard breaststroke. Varanda was awarded America East Men’s Most Outstanding Swimmer in the tournament for the victory including his performance in two other individual events. This now makes it four straight years that a Bearcats swimmer received the honor.
“We will definitely need Varanda to be there for the team as he has been vital to our efforts,” Clark said.
Four other seniors, Sean Lorenz (backstroke), Andrew Palumbo (breaststroke), Brian Koralewski (freestyle) and Ryan Graham (diving), who improved to third place on both boards during the 2008 championship, will also play a pivotal role this season.
On the women’s team, it will be up to the underclassmen to take a stand.
“We have most of our big points coming from the sophomores and freshmen,” Clark said. “So far they are looking stellar.”
Sophomore Lyndsi Worthington was the only two-event finalist in backstrokes in the AE championships while sophomore Danielle Gallo broke two school records in the tournament. Meanwhile, senior Katherine Hassfurter holds the school record for diving.
During the Western New York Invitational in Buffalo last weekend the team made great strides. Freshman Nolan Slesnick had a pair of individual events in the 500-meter freestyle and the 1,000-meter free and came in second place in the 200-meter fly.
Varanda showcased his talent with a win in the 400-meter IM, fourth in the 200-meter backstroke and third in the 500 freestyle.
In two weeks the swimming and diving team will go up against the same team that trumped them in the championships last season — Boston University. In the last dual meet between the “BUs,” Boston beat the Bearcats by three points.
“We plan to go into this meet with all our guns blazing,” Clark said. “Success doesn’t come easy, but we are up for that challenge.”