WEBSTER, N.Y. – The Hartwick men's swimming and diving team wrapped up the final day of the 2025–26 Empire 8 Championships with a fourth-place overall finish, closing out the championship meet with a strong collective effort.
HOW IT HAPPENED
The 1650-yard freestyle opened the final day of competition, with the Hawks looking to finish on a high note. Cameron Drake (El Cajon, Cal.) set the tone early, capturing his second silver medal of the championships with a time of 16:26.89.
First-year Keegan Burkhardt (West Hurley, NY) added valuable points in the 200-yard backstroke, touching the wall in 2:01.76. Hassan Abdelwahed (New Hartford, N.Y.) earned a bronze medal in the 200-yard breaststroke with a 2:04.62 finish, edging out of silver by just one second. A conference-record performance by SUNY Geneseo claimed the top spot in the event.
Hartwick closed the meet with another podium finish in the 400-yard freestyle relay. The quartet of Mahdi Behniaye (Hannibal, Mo.), Badr Aly (East Syracuse, NY, Bryce Rogers (Fulton, N.Y.), and Abdelwahed combined for a bronze medal performance, clocking in at 3:11.15.
Despite the Hawks' strong showing, late surges from Alfred University and SUNY Brockport pushed Hartwick into fourth place overall, while nationally ranked SUNY Geneseo secured the team title for the second consecutive season.
RESULTS
FULL CHAMPIONSHIP RESULTS
MEN'S SCORES
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Geneseo - 1186
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Brockport - 641.5
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Alfred - 632
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Hartwick - 614.5
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Nazareth - 219
About Hartwick College:
Hartwick, often referred to as The Life Balance College, is a private liberal arts and sciences institution in Oneonta, N.Y. Through its distinctive FlightPath approach, Hartwick blends academic excellence, career preparation and an active campus life to help students achieve a balanced and fulfilling college experience. With transparent tuition and a focus on health and wellness, Hartwick prepares students for lifelong success—both professionally and personally.
