Max Fabian '15 left quite the first impression for the Judges this season, shattering the record for the 1,000-yard freestyle in the Oct. 20 home opener against Wheaton College.  

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From there, he swept countless distance events and made his biggest splash at the University Athletic Association Championships on Feb. 16, shaving 22 seconds off of the school record in the 1,650-yard freestyle. He came within four seconds of earning the first All-Association honor for Brandeis since 2009.  
Swimming is more than a school sport, though, for Fabian; it is a family affair. 
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"Swimming runs in the family," he said. "My dad [Dr. Jack Fabian] has always been a very skilled coach and my sister [Eva Fabian] has always been a rewarding presence in my path to success."
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Dr. Jack Fabian, head coach of the Keene State University Owls, has transformed the swimming program into a perennial powerhouse, with his swimmers accruing five All-American honors and two consecutive New England Championships in 2009 and 2010. He also serves as an assistant coach on the USA Swimming National Team, leading a crop of premier international swimmers.
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Eva Fabian, currently a freshman distance swimmer at Yale University, has plunged into the world record books as a member of the USA National Team. She won the 10,000-meter race at the 2011 Open Water National Championships held in Fort Lauderdale, Fla., and has accumulated top three finishes in numerous international competitions, all while she was in high school. 
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Needless to say, Fabian has made his own mark in the swimming lanes. He excelled in his first season at Connecticut College and competed at the USA Swimming National Open Water Select Camp last summer, a launching pad for elite distance swimmers to enter the international scene.
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Yet, after transferring to Brandeis last fall, Fabian found what he was looking for; a second swimming "family"-the Judges.  
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"My experience at Brandeis has been really enjoyable, especially working with such a great mix of teammates," he said. "We-both the seniors and the underclassmen-are all in this together, looking to help each other out and put the Judges back on track."
Fabian knew the road to success would be an uphill battle. 
The turning point for the Judges, though, came after a mid season training venture to Puerto Rico.
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"Puerto Rico was really the first time where we could just focus solely on swimming," he said. "We entered as a group of swimmers, but came out as a team. We finally built what we started to put together in the preseason."
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The tide finally turned in the Judges' favor when Brandeis earned its first victory since 2010 in a Jan. 11 meet against Bridgewater State University and accumulated 27 victories versus Regis College the following month. 
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Fabian noted  that the UAA Championships, rounding out the Judges' inaugural campaign, marked the most memorable moment of the season for the swimmers. 
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"After a successful three-day tournament, we became close as a team and really got to know each other," he said.
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The Brandeis swimming and diving "family" was established. 
One figure, particularly, stood out in this journey-not only as a leader of the squad, but as a mentor for Fabian: coach Mike Kotch.
Fabian referred to Kotch as a coach who, through his intimate knowledge of individual swimmers and leadership, has been instrumental to the team's success.
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"Coach really brought home what it meant to swim for this team," he said. "I'm glad to have had the privilege to work with such a great coach. He is very resourceful and really gets to know each member of the team."
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However, the program's rebuilding process is far from over. 
As Brandeis looks toward its second season in the water, Kotch and Fabian will continue to increase recruitment and build off of a successful campaign.
"In terms of next season, we just have to work with what we established," he said. "Now that we know what to expect, we need to expand our numbers. The goal is just to pack more of a punch." 
Fabian plans to maintain his rigorous regimen of distance workouts and train with his father over the summer.
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Ever since his first swimming lesson with Eva as a young child, the pool has been one of his favorite places. 
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"I'm just looking to stay in the water," he said. "I love swimming."
It shouldn't be a surprise-a passion for the sport runs in the family.