DELHI, NY (August 3, 2022) - Coming out of High School, Seth Bywater was a top recruit nationally and has not slowed down since arriving at Delhi in 2019. In his freshman year Seth immediately made his mark, racking up two NAC Rookie of the Week to go along with a USCAAA Runner of the Week.
He continued to improve throughout his first season with the Broncos, ending the year as an USCAA First Team All-American. While the Pandemic worked to dismantle his 2020 seasons, Seth kept on right on track.
The next year, he came out better than ever becoming the first ever SUNY Delhi Bronco to be a NCAA National Qualifier in any sport. At the NCAA Championships, Seth used the stiff competition to propel himself to reach a new PR in the 8k. His finishing time of 25:25.8 now ranks him as the fifth-fastest 8K runner in the program's history.
But Seth's accolades don't stop on the course, as he has been very active around the Delhi community. Throughout his time in the Green and Yellow, Seth has been a model Student-Athlete on and off the field. He currently resides as the President of the SAAC Committee, as well as received the SUNY Chancellor Award for Student Excellence.
Major. Mechatronics
Hometown: Cornwall, NY
Why did you choose Delhi?
"The professors that greeted on my visit ensured me that they had a plan for me beyond graduation, that my degree was going to be more useful than a piece of paper. Other schools may have had the majors I wanted, but often didn't have any hands-on experiences to offer or exposure to the world of business and industry outside of the school. Delhi brings me on trips to companies and lets me do an internship before I graduate."
What is your favorite thing about your major?
"I get to do a little bit of everything. I've done 3D modeling, welding, electrical engineering, machining, and programming. It's always fresh and there's always something new to learn and having all these options means I can choose what I want to focus on, instead of what is pre-planned for all students."
What is your most memorable moment as a student-athlete?
"My junior year in high school I won my county meet 3200m in a huge PR and qualified for nationals, and less than 2 hours later went to my junior prom. There was a lot to be happy about that day."
Why should a high school student thinking about college choose Delhi?
"The whole point of getting a degree is to prepare you for a career. It's more than just physical practice, although Delhi will give you a lot of that; Exposure to the world outside of college is invaluable, and there's plenty of opportunities for that here. I've toured companies and gotten to see what paths there are after I graduate, and gotten to see why I'm learning what I'm learning. "
Advice from Seth
"If you're a high school athlete looking to compete in college, realize that you're going to spend much more time in the classroom than you will at practice: choose your school based on academics first. For those already in college, make sure you balance your time wisely. There's plenty of time for sports, class, and fun all in one day, but only if you pay your dues when you need to. At the same time, don't stretch yourself too thin. If you try to go all-in on one thing, be it school or sports, you're likely going to wear yourself out. Take it easy, but take it!"
"Also, I have a 3.99 GPA. Darn physics."
Seth has one year left of eligibility and will be returning for the 2022/23 season to put an exclamation mark on his SUNY Delhi career.
Coach Brown's Take on Seth:
It was a great experience to have Seth on our cross country and track & field teams. He is a very talented and humble young man. Seth serves as an excellent role model for the other student-athletes on our team through his demeanor and how he carries himself. He is an extremely bright young man and has excelled in one of the tougher programs here on campus. It has been an honor to have worked with Seth and I know he is going to continue to excell in every aspect of his life after his time at SUNY Delhi.
