Bucknell University Athletics
Bucknell to Host Patriot League Swimming Championships for the First Time
2/18/2003 7:00:00 AM | Men's Swimming and Diving
Feb. 18, 2003
LEWISBURG, Pa. - It has been 33 seasons since Bucknell University has hosted a conference swimming and diving championship. The Bison men's and women's swimming and diving teams are scheduled to host the 2002-03 Patriot League Championships in Kinney Natatorium on Feb. 20-22.
After months of planning and construction, Bucknell is excited to utilize the newly opened Kinney Natatorium as the host site for the PL Championships. The Bison have hosted eight meets this season and look forward to having the entire league experience the new facility.
Under the direction of fifth-year head coach Jerry Foley, the women have completed, for the first time in Bucknell history, a perfect regular season with a 7-0 dual meet record.
During the preseason poll, Bucknell's women's swimming and diving team had been tabbed to place second at the 2003 Patriot League Championships. The Bison tallied 87 points, and six first place nods, among the league's head coaches and sports information directors.
The Bison men have achieved a 4-2 overall dual meet record, only losing to American and Army in November. The Orange and Blue were victorious over the 2002 PL champions, Lehigh, by a score of 157-143. The Bucknell men were voted to place fourth in the upcoming championship during the pre-season poll.
The women's team has been led by senior co-captains Darby Golino and Becky Dolan. Meghan Freese leads the team in dual-meet scoring with 146.25 points, while Golino (144.50), Jamie Flick (143), Lectie Altman (114) and Daniela Faas (105) have accomplished over 100 points each. In the recent win over Lehigh, the 200 medley relay team broke the school record with a time of 1:47.28. The relay team consisted of Golino, Flick, Freese and Mary Krakowski.
The men's team has been led by tri-captains Christopher Feinthel, Geoffrey Konopka and Stephen Schwanhausser, along with freshman swimmer Mark Kretzer and sophomore diver Adam Freeman. Kretzer has earned a team high 100 points for the Bison in the lanes, while Freeman has received 86 points in the deep end. The sophomore diver has broken two school records. He had crushed the one-meter, 11-dive school record with a score of 475.95, and improved his standings on the one-meter six-dive (271.65) and now stands third all-time. Freshman Todd Bauer has also accumulated 72 points for the Orange and Blue.
The last time Bucknell hosted a swimming championship was in 1969, when the Bison men hosted the Middle Atlantic Conference championship in Freas-Rooke Pool.
The weekend events begin on Thursday, Feb. 20 with trials starting at 10:30 a.m. and finals beginning at 6 p.m. The championships will continue through Saturday, Feb. 22. An all-session ticket is priced at $25, while single trial sessions are $3 and final sessions are $5.
