On this day 18 years ago, Casey O’Donnell ’94 took home two individual titles at the Middle Atlantic Conference (MAC) Swimming Championships. The former Bear won the 200 butterfly championship in 2:04.97 and the 1650 freestyle championship in 17:14.07.

The wins capped O’Donnell’s stellar career at Drew University where he became the only swimmer in school history to be named a four-year captain. In 1998, O’Donnell was a torpedo in the pool, earning All-Conference honors in eight separate events (200 butterfly, 200 backstroke, 1650 freestyle, 800 freestyle, 400 medley relay, 200 medley relay, 400 free relay, and 800 free relay). He excelled outside of the pool as well, earning Academic All-American honors for a second straight year.

18 years later, O’Donnell’s name is still peppered throughout the Rangers’ record book. He is a member of fastest 800 relay in school history (7:22.52) and is the owner of the 10th-fastest 50 freestyle (23.34), 10th-fastest 100 freestyle (51.00), fifth-fastest 200 freestyle (1:50.88), seventh-fastest 500 freestyle (5:07.85), second-fastest 1,000 freestyle (10:23.57), second-fastest 1,645 freestyle (17:14.07), second-fastest 100 backstroke (56.30), second-fastest 200 backstroke (2:00.86), third-fastest 200 butterfly (2:04.97), 10th-fastest 100 butterfly (57.64), 10th-fastest 200 IM (2:08.37), and the seventh-fastest 400 IM (4:36.12) in school history.

At the Brook, O’Donnell was an All-County, All-Long Island, All-State, and All-American swimmer with the 200 freestyle relay team. He also competed on Long Island’s water polo team in the 1991 Empire State Games.

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