Ithaca College Men's Swim Team Wins First-Ever Title

The Ithaca College men's swim and dive team just made history in the best way possible.

On February 21, the Bombers dethroned four-time defending champion Rochester Institute of Technology to claim their first Liberty League title in program history. The victory was even sweeter because they celebrated alongside the women's team, which captured its sixth consecutive championship the same day.

The men scored 1,722 points to finally knock RIT from its throne. First-year swimmer Jack True and graduate student Matthew Mitros led the charge, with Mitros earning Swimmer of the Meet honors after winning four events.

Mitros delivered jaw-dropping performances that will live in the record books. His 100-yard butterfly time of 48.38 seconds shattered a program record that had stood since 2015, and his blistering 19.92 second 50-yard freestyle helped secure his spot in the NCAA Division III B-cut qualifications.

The women weren't content to just win. They dominated with 1,820 points and saw junior Kathleen Papiernik claim her own Swimmer of the Meet distinction after topping two individual events and two relays.

Record books got a complete rewrite that day. Five program records fell, including sophomore Elizabeth Bodie's 200-yard butterfly time that erased a mark set way back in 1999 by Hall of Famer Renee Helbok.

Why This Inspires

First victories taste sweetest after long waits. The men's team had watched RIT celebrate for four straight years, using that hunger to fuel their training and push each other harder.

Their breakthrough shows what sustained effort and team support can accomplish. The fact that both teams peaked on the same day created a shared moment of triumph that multiplied the joy.

Graduate students like Mitros got to end their college careers with the title they'd been chasing, while first-years like True contributed to history in their debut season. That blend of experience and fresh talent created something special.

Now regionally qualified divers head to NCAA Diving Regionals on February 27, carrying momentum from this historic meet into the next challenge.

The Bombers proved that persistence pays off, and sometimes the wait makes the victory even more meaningful.

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