The Brandeis men's and women's swimming and diving teams first started competing in 1968. Until being cut in 2010, the team was a national force, amassing 30 All-University Athletic Association performances and 15 Division III All-Americans. Until 1995, passing a swim test was a graduation requirement for University students.

This past weekend, Brandeis welcomed back a piece of its storied history, as the squads hosted their first meet since Oct. 22, 2008.

"Having the team back, I think it means that we found that missing piece to the puzzle," coach Michael Kotch said. "You know when you're working on a 1,000-piece puzzle and you find that missing corner piece in your sweatshirt pocket. Swimming and diving really complements the academic mission of the University."

The long road back

The pool in the Joseph M. Linsey Sports Center was closed in the fall of 2008 due to infrastructure problems. The team competed through the 2009-2010 season using facilities at other local colleges. But without a pool to call its own, the program was suspended indefinitely.

"Everyone was left hanging," Esther Tandetnik '13 said. "There was no timeline for getting the pool running, and no one looked for a coach."

That all changed in April, 2011. Facing pressure from both students and alumni, the University announced that the pool would be reopened in time for the spring 2012 semester. That led to the swim team's reinstatement for the 2012-2013 season and Kotch's hiring in July, 2011.

Senior closure

The two-season hiatus left Kotch's squad in a unique position: while seniors Antonio Cancio, Jared Goldman, Niko Karkantis, Holly Spicer and Tandetnik are experienced college students, they haven't raced at the varsity level in nearly three years. Instead, it is the newer students that were in high-level competition last season.

"We've been able to balance each other out, and it's been a great dynamic," Tandetnik said. "We have Brandeis experience, while they have more experience in the pool. It's mutually beneficial."

"There's a dichotomy of the old returners versus the new generation," Karkantis said. "People refer to the freshmen and sophomore transfers as Brandeis 2.0, and our job as Brandeis 1.0 has been as mentors."

Kotch said that the five seniors have been invaluable for the team.

"For the seniors, the word I've been using is closure," he said. "We are relying on them to establish a foundation and start a competitive culture that will last us for years. It's not the journey they were expecting, but it's a happy ending."

Brandeis 2.0

It isn't just the pool that has received a makeover. The senior holdovers have been joined by two new assistant coaches, two juniors, five sophomores and eight swimmers in the Class of 2016. And that's not including their new head coach.
Kotch joins the program with huge shoes to fill. Assistant Director of Athletics Jim Zotz, Kotch's predecessor, coached the team for 32 years.

"He's a mentor, he's a friend, he's a colleague," Kotch said of Zotz. "He's been a great resource."

By all accounts, Kotch has been a success.

"He's awesome," Tandetnik said. "He knows how to approach the sport seriously and on a varsity level, but he's very approachable."

Joining Kotch are assistant coach Breda O'Connor and diving coach Charlotte Rea '09, both of whom were hired this fall. Kotch recruited O'Connor out of high school when he coached at Bentley University and she also joined his staff when he moved on to Regis University.

Then there are the squad's newest members. Of the Judges' 15 wins against Wheaton College last Saturday, nine of them came from first-years, and three more came from Max Fabian '15, a sophomore transfer from Connecticut College.

"We are a new team," Kotch said. "We have kids with some great experience under their belts who have been recruited to help us compete."

"It was great to see our freshmen stepping up and winning events," Spicer said of the meet against Wheaton. "It wasn't just the upperclassmen leading the team."

Back in action

Just one week into the season, the squad already finds itself swimming against the current. The team's relatively small size and its membership in the University Athletic Association will make it difficult to win competitions.

"Fortunately or unfortunately, we are in the middle of one of the most competitive swimming conferences," Kotch said. "We are trying to control the things that we can control and develop the culture, and we will grow in numbers as the program goes forward."

Kotch will continue to lead the team in its reboot. And he can take pride in helping to locate the missing piece of the Brandeis jigsaw puzzle.