The NC State men’s swim team recorded its highest finish in 39 years, taking eighth overall at the NCAA championships in addition to an ACC championship. During the course of the season, the bedrock of the Wolfpack’s historic performance was its relay team, made up of some of the top individual performers in the country.
In their NCAA appearance, the foursome comprised of freshman Ryan Held, junior Simonas Bilis, sophomore Soren Dahl, and senior David Williams earned two runner-up relay titles in both the 400 and 800 yard free relays, nabbing All-America status in the process. These relays marked NC State’s highest relay finishes on the national level in program history.
Although stakes are high for relays in the swimming world, these four members of the Wolfpack have an easy demeanor when together as a group. Each swimmer has a role in his or her events and each is able to perform in high-pressure situations.
“Our dynamics are really good,” Bilis said. “We know each other really well and all of us are really close. Before the start the race we say a few words and someone pats you on the back and you just know you’re going to go fast.”
Relays not only bring more points to the board but also tend to bring out another level in the swimmers.
“In relays you have three other people with you, and the crowd is a lot louder and you get to hear it, which is fun,” Held said.
Bilis backed his teammate’s view.
“I like relays because you’re not swimming alone or only for yourself,” the Lithuanian native said. “Usually in relays you just go faster than individuals.”
Throughout the season, this relay squad performed at high levels. For Williams, this was his last season swimming with the Wolfpack and this relay, but he was fortunate enough to end on a very high note.
“As a senior it was pretty crazy,” Williams said. “My freshman year, we only had one guy make it, and it’s pretty cool to come basically from nothing to being right at the top and fighting for first in those relays.”
“Missing an 18.2 [second] anchor leg is a huge deficit,” Held said. “So we’re all going to have to step up a bit. We’re just going to have to try and make up for Dave’s loss.”
Although the relay will lose one of its main components next year, traditions and superstitions for the team will continue into the next season.
“Before a big meet, after warm down at practice in our own pool, we transfer the mojo, which is when we do a handstand in the water and take as many steps as you want, and then when we get to the pool we’re competing in, we do that first thing, so we transfer the mojo,” Williams said.
With such strong performances at this NCAA Championship, the swimming and diving program is gaining recognition and continuing to grow as a premiere program.
“It definitely helps in recruiting because if you want to win team national titles, you need recruits and this has definitely sparked a lot of interest,” Held said. “We’ve already started getting looks at top sprinters in the country. It’s only going to expand from there.”
With ACC and NCAA success in the rearview mirror, the relay team will look to reload and prepare for next year, as repeat success is more than a realistic goal.
