by Isaac Goodling

In spite of all the publicity that the Colgate women’s swim team received this season, as they broke record after record while turning in an undefeated Patriot League season, not every swimmer received their due share of attention. There was one heroic story in particular that was overshadowed: that of Melanie Homoki.

Homoki, a walk-on at the beginning of the year, stuck with the team despite being unable to swim her secondary event at any point during the season. However, it was not until Patriot League Championship that the true depths of her courage and commitment shone through. After spending 24 hours in the hospital, she rallied from a bout of food poisoning to score points for her team in what head coach Stephen Jungbluth calls “one of the most memorable stories I’ve heard in ten years of coaching.”

“It was just an awesome show of teamsmanship,” Jungbluth says. “There were no personal goals in it whatsoever, she just decided that that was where she could get points and then went out and did it.”

Homoki traveled to Annapolis intending to swim in the 200 fly, her primary event, but she contracted food poisoning during a team dinner, and was forced to go to the emergency room later that night. After lying in a bed for 24 hours, unable to eat or prepare for her races, Homoki was faced with a choice: attempt to race in the 200, her best event, but one in which it was unlikely she would be able to score points, or compete in the most grueling event of the day, the 1650 yard swim. Not only is the mile a daunting task even for those not afflicted with food poisoning, Homoki had never competed at this distance before. However, upon being told that she would need to beat only two swimmers to score points for the team, she immediately agreed to do it.

“I think Mel is such as asset to our team because she truly loves the team and would do anything for us,” teammate Emily Murphy says. “One of my favorite moments at Patriots was cheering for Mel during the mile, the longest event in swimming, after she came back from having a stomach virus the day before. I was so happy and proud that she was able to compete and help our team score points for the championship. Mel is one of the most positive people I've ever met. She worked so hard everyday in and out of the pool without complaint, and I can't imagine being on this team without her.”

Simply by jumping in the pool Homoki would have done something worth mentioning, but she refused to allow herself any excuses, and exceeded all expectations by beating five other swimmers and scoring four points for her team. The significance of those four points is magnified even further when the final standings are taken into account. Colgate completed the meet only 13.5 points behind Bucknell in the closest finish in league history, making Homoki’s contribution that much more important.

“We were very fortunate to have Mel on the team this year,” senior captain Amy Cole says. “She has a great attitude and worked hard every day towards her goal of scoring at Patriots. When she achieved this in the 1650 it not only helped the team standings but inspired everyone to give it their all in the last session.”

When listening to teammates and coaches talk about Melanie, the qualities that immediately stand out are her infectious enthusiasm and the passion that she has for the sport. Though she may not have been the top scorer on the team this season, it is obvious that she brought a vitality and energy to the team that, although it is difficult to quantify, was still an essential part of the success that the Raiders experienced this season.

“Mel is one of the friendliest, kindest people that I know,” teammate Caitlin Grant says. “From the very first day of training in September she fit right in with the team and team dynamic. Her attitude at practice is terrific; she is always smiling, laughing and encouraging everyone. Not only is she an amazingly hard worker, she always seems genuinely happy to be at practice. She came so far this season and ended on an incredible note. The fact that she was so sick and still was able to swim one of the toughest events and score points for us shows just how tough she is and just how important she is to our team.”

“Melanie is an amazing girl with an unbreakable spirit,” fellow freshman Beverly Walker adds. “She has brought an energy to the team that would be sorely missed if she ever left. She knew coming into the program that she would have to show that she had a place on the team, but after meeting her there was no doubt in my mind that she belonged here. Our team got lucky when Mel chose to swim here.”

Jungbluth, who only reluctantly allowed Homoki to walk on at the beginning of the season, has been so impressed by her hard work and commitment that he awarded her the prestigious Maroon and White Award at the team awards banquet last week. This award recognizes not only an exemplary work ethic and level of dedication, but also seeks to reward those who find true joy in swimming, something that is obviously true of Homoki.

“I’m just glad that I gave her the chance to come onto the team,” Jungbluth says. “She has brought a great dynamic to the team, as well as a tremendous work ethic. Mel has really been a great addition to our program.”