LYCOMING SWIMMING: WOMEN IN SECOND, MEN IN SIXTH FOLLOWING DAY ONE OF MAC CHAMPIONSHIPS

CHESTER, PA – The Lycoming College women’s and men’s swim teams traveled to Widener University, Friday evening for the opening day of competition at the Middle Atlantic Conference Championships. The women’s squad is currently in second place with 103 points, behind Albright with 121 points and ahead of third place Juniata who has 79 points. The men’s team is in sixth place after today’s events, but is just 2.5 points out of the fourth position.

Highlighting the women’s efforts today were four new school records being set. The 400-medley relay team of Karissa Brown (Fr./Chemung, NY; Waverly), Kristin Campbell (Jr./Camp Hill, PA; Cedar Cliff), Karen Turpin (So./West Windsor, NJ; Princeton), and Andrea Rapach (Jr./Pittsford, NY; Pittsford Mendon) set a new mark by turning in a time of 4:09.99. The previous record had been 4:11.63 set in 1997.

Within that relay, Brown’s split of 1:02.08 in the backstroke broke the previous mark of 1:02.13 set in 1982.

Rebecca Fox (Fr./Middletown, NJ; Middletown) broke her own record set early this year in the 500 free. Her time of 5:22.08 was a full two seconds faster than her previous best of 5:24.28.

The fourth record was broken by the 200-free relay team of Erin Patrick (Fr./Media, PA; Penncrest), Susan Slepetz (Jr./Wescosville, PA; Emmaus), Jess Amadore (So./Easton, PA; Wilson Area), and Rapach. The team turned in a 1:42.02 to nip the 1:43.44 time recorded by last year’s relay team at the MAC championships.

Also of significant note was the one-two finish in the 50 free by Amadore and Rapach respectively.

“We had a very solid first day and we’re in great position – actually a little ahead of where I thought we might be,” said Lycoming head coach Jerry Hammaker. “Albright will be tough to catch but I like where we are right now and hopefully things will keep rolling for us.”

On the men’s side, Chris DeZago (So./Sparkill, NY; Tappen Zee) provided the highest individual finish for Lycoming, swimming a personal best 4:58.84 in the 500 free to place 8^th. Matt Thompson (Jr./Canisteo, NY; Canisteo Central) and Greg Brown (Sr./Mechanicsburg, PA; Cumberland Valley) also turned in strong efforts, placing 11^th in the 50 free and 200 IM respectively.

The Warriors men also recorded fifth place finishes in both the 400-medley and 200-free relays.

Second-day action will begin at 10 a.m. Saturday morning with preliminary races. The finals will be held at 7 p.m.