BUFFALO, NY — Junior swimmer Jeff Galaise wasn’t expected to finish near the top Thursday in the 200-yard individual medley final featuring the top swimmers in the SUNYAC conference. The Torrington, Connecticut native finished 2nd in the preliminaries but was seeded just fifth before the finale. Galaise embraced his underdog role and stunningly won the race becoming New Paltz’s first men’s SUNYAC swimming champion since Jeff Burke in 1999.
“Jeff was amazingly determined to win for weeks,” said head coach Brian Williams. “I’m thrilled to see him pull it out in what some may perceive as an upset.”
“I felt well during the trials,” said Galaise after the victory. “I knew I was in the right frame of mind to win and I went for it.”
The SUNYAC Swimming and Diving Championships will continue until Saturday at the Erie Community College Pool in Buffalo, NY.
