“Close the gap” was the motto that the Wabash swim & dive team began the season with. And when they entered Granville, Ohio last week for their North Coast Athletic Conference (NCAC) Championships, they sought to do just that. But with two nationally-ranked teams in the conference, the gap was no easy measure. However, as the team has concluded their conference bout with a third-place finish and the most points scored in team history, the future is only bright for a team that has so much to prove.
“It was really rewarding to see all their hard work and see all of their dedication throughout the whole season come to fruition and do what we set out to do,” said Head Coach William Bernhardt. “It was great, it was a really fun meet, and the energy was super high, to a point where we carried the energy of the meet and the conference.”
The team came into the meet against two behemoths of swim and dive programs and proved that they belonged there. With three new school records set, the most points in NCAC history by the program and an unmatched energy, they came within only 300 points of second-place Kenyon and are gaining on nationally-number-one ranked Denison. This result was more than just how they competed inside the pool, but also how they competed on the deck.
“There were several teams that were trying to do things that we were doing and these are things that we just do,” said Bernhardt. “ These are how we get our guys, you know, excited and ready. And other teams Kenyon, Depauw and Wooster even to a point some of the Dennison kids were just really trying to start something similar. But it just never took off.”
Nevertheless it was more than just energy that the team brought. With a school record set in the 800-yard free relay by Ethan Johns ’25, Quinn Sweeney ’27, Nick Plumb ’27 and Ryan West ’28 on the first day, the mood was set and the team was ready to compete. And compete they did. West would break his own record in the 200 back before Mason Gilliam ’28 breaks one in the 500 free.
“I think just starting off the meet Wednesday night with really good relays fueled us to bring the energy,” said West. “Some of us were struggling with being sick and we knew we needed a wake up call. It got to the point we had other teams coming up to us and telling us how good we were at supporting each other. We have such a good culture and that definitely helped us go fast.”
Despite being a younger team, the underclassmen are definitely uplifted by their seniors. And for some, moments like these hit a little closer to the heart.
“Conference this year was just an accumulation of everything we’ve accomplished over the past four years in my senior class, and everything the classes under us have brought to the team,” said Johns. “And it really came together in an amazing way where it was all the work that we put in the pool, but then also in the locker room, in our culture and in our recruiting. And it was just special.”
This NCAC championship was more than just proof of hard work for Wabash. It was proof that the program was on the path they wanted to be.
“At some point, Denison made a concerted and conscious choice to go after Kenyon and break their 34 championship win streak, and they did,” said Bernhardt. “And that’s where we talk with the team that it has to be a program choice, right? I can sit here and tell you that I want us to catch those two teams, but until the team believes in it, it’s just lip service, but we’re at a point where the team believes.”
The conclusion of the NCAC championship is not the end for this team however. With a few nationally ranked individuals, the team will participate in a last chance meet February 23 at Crawfordsville High School as a final push to get some guys into nationals. And after a strong outing at conference, look out for the swimmers and divers to be fueled for what could be their final meet of the season.