BUFFALO, N.Y. – Sophomore Hunter Bernhardt (Groton) won the 500-yard freestyle title to highlight Cortland's performances during the first full day of competition at the 2020 SUNYAC Men's Swimming and Diving Championships.
 
Cortland is currently in third place out of nine schools in the team standings with 168 points. Geneseo leads with 354.5, followed by Oswego (189), Cortland, Oneonta (154), Fredonia (123), Brockport (114), New Paltz (108), Buffalo State (102.5) and Potsdam (59). The championship continues Friday and Saturday at Erie Community College's Burt Flickinger Center.
 
Bernhardt won the 500 in 4:39.50, less than a second from breaking the school record and more than nine seconds faster than his fifth-place time from last season. His win came just prior to his sister, Cortland freshman Leah Bernhardt, winning the 500-yard freestyle race in the women's meet.

The top three finishers in each event earn All-SUNYAC honors. Winners are first team, runners-up are second team and third-place finishers are third team.
 
Nick Galeto (West Islip) finished fourth in the 500 free in 4:47.66. Josh Chamak (New City/Clarkstown North) also scored in the event with a 10th-place showing in 4:48.92.
 
Tim Rokos (Duanesburg) placed fourth in the 200-yard individual medley in 1:57.07. Alex Fisher (Smithtown/Hauppauge) won the "B" final in the event (1:58.62) to finish ninth overall, and Noah Farmer (New Hartford) was 12th in 2:01.52 (2:01.22 prelims).
 
The combination of Galeto, Dylan Cornelia (Deer Park), Billy Donlevy (Bayside/Holy Cross) and Aiden Poli (Cortland/Home schooled) finished fourth in the 400-yard medley relay (3:32.22). Mo Diarra (New York/East Side Community), Danny Swift (Millerton/Webutuck), Donlevy and Poli placed eighth in the 200-yard freestyle relay (1:28.78). Poli also scored points with his 14th-place finish in the 50-yard freestyle (22.22).
 
On Wednesday, Rokos, Chamak, Bernhardt and Galeto posted a fourth-place finish in the 800-yard freestyle relay (7:02.09), and Pat Conway (Wantagh/Kellenberg Memorial) finished seventh in 3-meter diving (397.40 points).

Championship Web Page (includes links to results, video and photos)
 
2020 SUNYAC Men's Swimming and Diving Championships

STANDINGS AFTER DAY 1 (first full day)  (Feb. 20)
1) Geneseo – 354.5
2) Oswego - 189
3) Cortland - 168
4) Oneonta - 154
5) Fredonia - 123
6) Brockport - 114
7) New Paltz - 108
8) Buffalo St. – 102.5
9) Potsdam - 59