For junior swimmer Kaitlyn Smolar, a round trip to Cleveland was one she will not soon forget.

On the morning of March 11, Smolar and a handful of her teammates from the Binghamton swimming & diving program were on their way to the National Invitational Championship in Cleveland. It had been a month since she won the 200 freestyle at the America East Meet and after four weeks of training following that triumph, Smolar was looking to cap her season off in a big way.

It was on the trip to Cleveland that Smolar and her teammates heard that Binghamton classes had gone online due to the COVID-19 spread. One day later, the NIC Meet –as well as the rest of the college and professional sports world – came to a halt.

Since then, Smolar has stayed in shape and has adjusted to the COVID-19 shutdown. Despite the abrupt end to the season, she looks back at the year with fond memories and has high hopes for the future of the Binghamton women's swimming & diving program.

You were at the NIC Meet when college sports were canceled through the rest of the year. Take us through that day.

We were in the van on our way to Cleveland when we heard that our classes went online, so we were just hoping to get through the weekend. We got through one day of swimming before the meet got shut down. We were pretty shocked, but we all got to swim at least one race so that was something. It was just frustrating to train those extra weeks only to compete for one day but I feel even more for the spring athletes who got their entire season taken from them.

What were the emotions like riding back from Cleveland?

It was almost surreal. We had been there for 24 hours when we were supposed to be there for four days. It was almost like it didn't happen.

What were the next several days like before you had to leave campus?

I actually stayed in Binghamton until a week before spring break in my off-campus apartment. I'm from Orange County where the number of cases has been really high and I was ultimately safer in Binghamton. It was really sad watching everyone else go home and not being sure when we would all be together again.

How has the adjustment been for you during the COVID-19 shutdown?

It has taken some adjusting, but I think I have figured out a routine for myself. With swimming, not actually being in the pool has been hard, so I've had to get creative with my at-home workouts and doing more cross-training like running and rowing. I've also been trying to keep in touch with my friends and teammates as much as I can.

Back in February you won your first career America East title in the 200 free. What was that race like for you as well as the feeling you had afterwards?

That was such a fun day for me. I wasn't too thrilled with my race the day before, so I tried to have a clean slate going into the 200. It's my favorite event, so I really wanted to do well. I knew the final heat was going to be competitive and I think that pushed me even more. Seeing the 1 next to my name on the board and my team at the other end of my lane cheering me on is something I'll never forget.

The women's team nearly got third at the meet. Even though you couldn't quite catch Vermont, how proud were you of the team that weekend?

We went into the meet with the goal of coming in third and we were shy by only 7.5 points. Even though we missed it by such a small amount, I couldn't be more proud of what we did at that meet. We all came together, fought until the end and I think it sets us up well to do even better next year.

There were 13 seniors on the women's team this year. What have they meant to you collectively as a group?

The seniors have been incredible mentors and friends to the entire team. It's hard to imagine the program without them and we'll definitely miss them next season.

Not only did you win the America East title in the 200 but you were also recognized on the All-Academic Team. How meaningful was that for you?

The conference is full of so many smart and talented student-athletes, so it was a huge honor to be named to the All-Academic Team.

How honored are you to be a captain for the upcoming season?

I'm honored to be a captain with my fellow teammates Abigail McHugh and Sophia Howard next season. I'm excited to lead this amazing group of women with them.

The women's team welcomes 13 new swimmers next fall. How excited are you to have them join the team?

Bringing in such a big freshman class is really exciting. I'm pumped about what they're all going to bring to the team and I'm excited to get to know them more this summer and into the fall.

Final question -- how much have you seen the women's program improve since you arrived at Binghamton as a freshman?

The women's team has been strong throughout my 3 years at Binghamton. We have been competing against stronger teams each year, and we have been moving up in the conference as well.