Written by Guest Contributor

Mar. 11, 2015: The New York State boys' swimming finals were held at Ithaca College on Saturday, February 28, 2015.

Fordham Prep won a historic fifth consecutive federation title, marking it once again as New York's top boys' high school swimming and diving team (public or private). Fordham Prep is coached by Dominick Galimi, who was a Prep swimmer from the class of 1992 and, in the fall season, serves as head coach of Bronxville High School's varsity girls' swim team.

Fordham Prep had swimmers in nine of the twelve final events, but the most exciting events were the first-place finishes in both the 200m and 400m freestyle relays.

The 200m free relay was a proud moment for Bronxville's Tim Buttigieg, who was co-captain of the team and swam the second leg. Tim and his co-captain, Michael Verini of Valhalla, Tuckahoe's Alec Nicaj, and Pleasantville's Steve Tierney finished in 1:24.92, a time that earned the swimmers All-American honors. Fordham Prep's 400m free relay team, which came from behind to win in 3:06.19, also achieved All-American recognition.

This title caps another stellar campaign by the team. The Prep again went undefeated in the dual-meet season and also captured its fifth consecutive New York Catholic High School Athletic Association title. In fact, this senior class of swimmers is the second consecutive FP class to graduate having won every competition the team entered during its four-year tenure on the team. 

Before the 400m relay, senior anchor Tierney, who gave his team the lead and the win, said that Fordham Prep was motivated. "Everyone on this team is going as hard as they possibly can. We're just feeding off each other."

Last season's varsity squad graduated a number of accomplished swimmers, including Bronxville resident Patrick Conaton, who now swims for Stanford University. Senior Tim Buttigieg noted, "We had a lot to prove to ourselves and others. We wanted to show that we could build on the success. This streak was not going to end on our watch."

Pictured here: Members of the 200m free relay team look at scoreboard and react to Steve Tierney's first-place finish.

Photo by Chris Kitchens