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Ben Prucha, a two-year club swimmer and senior at UNCW, got the opportunity of a lifetime when he was offered a spot on the UNCW varsity roster this past November.
His tale appears to be nearly unbelievable. How many competitive swimmers get the chance to be part of their university's Division I program during their last semesters? Not many, but Prucha's experience is certainly an exception.
Prucha, a native of North Carolina, is the eldest of three siblings. He acknowledges that he didn't fully appreciate the college recruiting process and found himself in his senior year's last semester at Green Hope High School without any significant opportunities lined up.
At that time, he was part of the TAC Titans swim team, and he attributes much of his guidance during his last semester to his club coach, Eddie Gillie. He struggled to find a program that aligned with his preferences, particularly since he wanted to remain in his home state. Although he did contact UNCW, unfortunately, they declined his application.
When things didn't work out as he had hoped, he chose to remain at home and enroll in the nearby community college, Wake Tech, to "spend a year, save some funds, and continue his search while swimming." During his time at home, he persisted in training with TAC and maintained communication with college coaches, all while receiving ongoing support from his coach.
Things weren't going well for him in swimming, and after his freshman year of college, he suffered a collarbone fracture during the summer. This incident led him to abandon his aspirations of competing at the varsity level, ultimately choosing to enroll at UNCW as an ordinary student and participate in the club team instead.
Prucha expresses great fondness for his experience with the club team and college club swimming in general. Throughout the interview, he highlighted the fun he had and the overall enjoyment he felt. He admitted that during his first semester, he wasn't particularly committed, attending swim practices just twice a week, which he characterized as “fun and relaxed.” He also noted that he had joined the club tennis team around the same time, where he dedicated more of his focus.
At the start of the second semester, Prucha and his friend, Briggs Cloutier, decided they wanted to go to Club Swimming Nationals, leading to their decision to start training with the Masters team, which was coached by UNCW assistant coach Sarah Richards. This is where he formed the relationship that would lead to his roster spot.
Prucha showcased a solid performance at his inaugural Club Swimming Nationals, although it wasn't groundbreaking. He achieved a personal best in the 50 freestyle with a time of 20.92, securing a 10th place finish in the event. Additionally, he competed in the 100 freestyle, clocking in at 47.72, which earned him a 49th place overall.
Following that, Prucha rekindled his passion for the sport and committed to serious training. He began swimming independently during Masters practice, completing sets that Richards had designed for him. Additionally, he started assisting the team with their lessons program once the club season concluded.
Upon his return for the 2023-2024 academic year as a junior on the UNCW club team, he maintained his swimming routine independently during Masters practice, receiving substantial support from Richards. During this period, she informed Prucha of the need for assistance in managing the Hy-Tek system for UNCW's dual meets. He took on this responsibility, which allowed him to build connections with various individuals associated with the team.
Prucha also began integrating himself within the team, due to the fact that his younger brother, John Prucha, and younger sister, Abby Prucha, were freshmen for the 2023-24 season. John also spent a year at a community college before heading to school, so he and Abby started together.
Last year at Club Nationals, Prucha delivered an impressive performance. He achieved personal best times in the 50 free, 100 free, and 100 back, securing top-5 placements in both the 50 and 100 free events. In the finals, he clocked in at 20.57 seconds for the 50 free, earning him a 4th place finish, while he finished 3rd in the 100 free with a time of 45.51 seconds. He playfully remarks that it may sound cliché, but he “never imagined he could swim that fast.” He attributes much of his improvement to Coach Sarah and the dedication she showed in working with him throughout the season.
Following this meeting, Prucha's brother John made the decision to depart from the UNCW team and started training alongside Ben and fellow club member Briggs Cloutier. This is how the three of them concluded the school year.
In May, Bobby Guntoro, UNCW’s head coach invited Prucha to train with the team through the summer, emphasizing that this was not a roster spot, just an opportunity to train with the team. At the beginning of the season this past fall, Prucha was right back on the club team, even swimming a meet with them at the end of October.
In early November, Guntoro summoned Prucha to his office, a situation that Prucha admitted made him feel "terrified" as his first instinct was that he had "messed up" while managing the Hy-Tek during their previous competition. However, instead of facing consequences, Guntoro surprised him by extending an offer for a spot on the roster.
Prucha agreed to the terms and subsequently entered a lengthy process of paperwork and evaluations required to become part of an NCAA sport. This left him in a state of uncertainty, unable to train with the team for several weeks. He characterized the entire ordeal as “stressful for him, but not particularly for anyone else,” noting that it has been the most challenging aspect of his transition thus far.
In the end, he participated in one practice session with the team prior to their trip to the Gamecock Invite in November, marking Prucha's first appearance in a Division I college swim meet. He competed in the 50 freestyle, recording a time of 20.82, and the 100 freestyle with a time of 46.54, managing to secure a second swim in the 50, where he finished in 27th place.
He is currently enjoying the excitement of his inaugural winter training, and he mentions that the highlight of this experience has been the regular routine and the opportunity to swim alongside a big group of people, instead of only training alone or with a few individuals.
He laughed about how, last year, while his brother and sister had to stick around at school for practice, he was able to head home early to spend time with their parents. However, this year, everything turned around because his sister chose to leave the team midway through the season. Now, he found himself staying at school for training while they got to go home.
When questioned about the potential of club swimming rosters as a source for talent, Prucha provided a thought-provoking response. He expressed that it would be beneficial if coaches recognized athletes who consistently put in the effort, attended practices, and performed well. However, he also highlighted that many college swimmers participate in club swimming primarily for enjoyment. Not everyone is seeking a place on the NCAA team; in fact, he recounted instances of several swimmers he knows who were invited to join their college teams but chose to decline the opportunity.
Guntoro recently shared a video on Twitter showcasing Prucha's swimming practice with the team, captioning it, "Ben Prucha is fulfilling his dream."
Ben Prucha is currently pursuing his passion. After not making the high school team, he chose to join the UNCW club swimming team instead.
We included him in our roster just before the end of Fall, and he's really making an impact!
“Don’t give up, don’t ever give up.” pic.twitter.com/1qckrMss3g
— Bobby Guntoro (@bobbygunt) January 4, 2025
