25th ANNIVERSARY SPOTLIGHT: Kevin Makarowski, Union College, Men's Swimming & Diving (1993-1997)

During the initial years of the Upstate Collegiate Athletic Association, Union College recorded an unprecedented run of success in men’s swimming and diving. From 1994 through 1997, the Dutchmen recorded four straight top-10 finishes at the NCAA Division III Championship, including a third-place finish in 1996, fourth-place finishes in both 1995 and 1997 and a sixth-place finish in 1994.
 
Union’s early national success while a member of the UCAA coincided with the outstanding career of Kevin Makarowski ’97, who remains one of the most decorated swimming student-athletes in UCAA/Liberty League history. Union’s first two years as a member of the UCAA – 1995-96 and 1996-97 – coincided with Makarowski’s final two seasons with the Dutchmen.
 
A 2008 inductee into Union’s Athletics Hall of Fame, Makarowski is the school’s first national champion in the sport of men’s swimming. He earned a remarkable 23 NCAA All-America honors along with three honorable mention All-America awards. As a sophomore in 1995, he captured the 200-yard individual medley at the NCAA Division III Championship in a time of 1:52.77.
 
“Kevin Makarowski is without a doubt, the most versatile swimmer I have ever had the opportunity to coach,” said Susan Bassett, former Union College swimming and diving coach, a 2006 inductee into Union’s Athletics Hall of Fame and currently the Director of Athletics at Ithaca College. “Kevin excelled at every freestyle event from the 50 through the 500, while winning the NCAA Championship in the 200 individual medley and placing in the 400 IM. The range of distances Kevin could cover was astounding. His enormous talent was matched with fierce competitiveness making him nearly unbeatable on the state level and among the best in the nation in Division III. Kevin was a joy to coach and a wonderful teammate and leader for our team.”
 
During the 1997 season, Makarowski helped the Dutchmen to a third straight Upper New York State Collegiate Swimming Association (UNYSCSA) championship. At the state championship meet, the Dutchmen won 16 of 20 events, set eight meet records and took home three individual awards. Makarowski was selected as a three-time state or league swimmer of the Year. At the Division III Championship meet, all five of Union’s relay teams picked up All-America status by finishing in the top eight.
 
Makarowski broke 11 of Union’s 19 swimming records during his career and still owns four of the records nearly 23 years after graduation. As a senior, he recorded UCAA season-best times of 1:40.01 in the 200-yard freestyle and 1:50.80 in the 200-yard individual medley. Makarowski also teamed with Clarke Smythe, Jeff Hoerle and Mike Humphreys to record times of 3:03.33 in the 400-yard freestyle relay and 6:48.57 in the 800-yard freestyle relay. Those two individual times and two relay marks still stand as the top times in UCAA/Liberty League history in those four events. No other current Liberty League record – men or women – has stood for more than 11 years. Given the advancements in swimsuit technology and training techniques during the past two decades that have led to a drop in times, it is even more remarkable that Makarowski’s records have withstood the test of time.
 
Makarowski was awarded the Bruce Jaffe Medal as most outstanding senior athlete at Union and the William Pike Medal for being the top junior athlete. He continues to remain active in collegiate swimming as he is currently in his ninth season serving as an assistant coach for the Colby College swimming and diving teams.