Sunday's dual swimming and diving meet against Middlebury at Tarbell Pool proved memorable for multiple reasons -- the primary one probably being that it marked the first time since 1991 that both the Bates men's and women's teams outscored their NESCAC rivals head-to-head.
What stood out more than any other aspect of the men's team's performance, a 152-136 victory, was the emergence of a remarkably strong first-year class of swimmers. Five Bates freshmen -- Paden Brunault (Orlando, Fla.), Max Coffey (Hamden, Conn.), Jack Dina (Kenilworth, Ill.), Chase Lis (Longmont, Colo.), Erik Saberski (Cheshire, Conn.) and Ned Thunem (New Canaan, Conn.) either won individual races or came in a close second to a Bates teammate.
Brunault made a statement as the Bobcats' premier backstroker by winning both the 100- and 200-yard backstroke races, after leading off Bates' winning performance in the 200 medley relay. Brunault edged Bates sophomore Ben Sommer (Evanston, Ill.) for first place in the 100 backstroke, at 55.63 seconds (Sommer's time was 56.39), then later dominated the 200 back by a 2.59-second margin, winning in 2:00.33.
