Dustin Fairchild was a two-time AMCC Swimmer of the Year and three-year captain for the Penn State Behrend men’s swimming and diving team. Fairchild was also a 12-time AMCC Champion during his career. He broke numerous records, including the 200 breaststroke record, which he held for nine years. When Fairchild graduated, he had the fastest time in eight different events. In his senior year, he was named the Behrend and AMCC Scholar Athlete of the Year. While Fairfield had a quiet demeanor, he sure made a big splash in the pool. In his first year with the Lions, he was among the team award winners, earning Rookie of the Year in 2004-05. The following season, Fairchild picked up right where he left off. He started with first-place finishes in each of the 15 races he competed. He had an undefeated streak of thirteen individual races and was part of two first-place finishes for the Behrend relay teams. By the end of the season, he qualified for the ECAC Championships in four events (200 breast, 200 free, 200 medley relay and 400 medley relay).
In his final two seasons in a Behrend swimsuit, Fairfield had a chance to garner the hardware to go with the hard work from the previous two years of competition. With the inclusion of the Allegheny Mountain Collegiate Conference (AMCC), he had a chance to become a 12-time champion and earn the inaugural and subsequent AMCC Swimmer of the Year Award.
In his junior year, he was the individual champion in the 500 free, 200 free and 200 breaststroke at the AMCC Championships. He also swam on four winning relays (400 free, 200 free, 200 medley and 800 free) to finish the meet a seven-time champion. He earned First Team All-AMCC in each event and was named the AMCC Swimmer of the Year.
Fairfield dominated the same individual events at the AMCC Championships in his senior year. He was an individual champion in the 500 free, 200 free and 200 breaststroke and added two more gold medals in the 800 free relay and 400 free relay. His performance assured his second AMCC Swimmer of the Year honor. Fairchild’s accomplishments in the pool and in the classroom garnered the Behrend and AMCC Scholar Athlete of the Year awards to cap his career.