Bucknell University Athletics
Bucknell Swimming and Diving Set to Host Patriot League Championships
2/23/2005 7:00:00 AM | Men's Swimming and Diving
Feb. 23, 2005
LEWISBURG, Pa. - Bucknell University is set host the Patriot League Swimming and Diving Championships this weekend at Kinney Natatorium. The Bison women are poised to win their third-consecutive league title while the Bison men will attempt to get back atop the PL podium after winning the title in 2003 and taking the runner-up spot last season.
Men's Preview
The Bison men will vie to get back atop the PL podium after a second-place finish last season with all PL selection Mark Kretzer, William Schilling and Todd Bauer back from last season. Freshman John Peterman will also make a splash for the Bison after an impressive start to his Bison career performing as Bucknell's top sprinter for the majority of the season. Peterman has posted the fourth-best time in the 50 free with teammates Jake Thieman and Ian Rawhauser holding onto the seventh and eighth-best marks.
Adam Freeman, a PL Diver of the Week selection, will try and rack up the points in the diving events with the second-best mark in the three-meter and the eighth-best score in the one-meter.
Kretzer will look to put some points on the board in the 100 backstroke with the third-best time going into the championships. Schilling is also likely to make a big impact entering the meet ranked third in the 100 breast. John Hoffman will likely lead the Bison in the IM events with the seventh-best time in the 400 IM. Freshman Theo Leriotis will also look to add points in the event. Matt Crandell is currently ranked sixth in the 100 fly and seventh in the 200 fly with Grant Steadman posting the seventh-best mark in the 100.
The Bison men also look strong in the relay events with the second-best time in the 200 free relay, the third-best time in the 800 free relay, the fourth-best times in the 200 and 400 medley relays, and the fourth-best mark in the 400 free relay.
Women's Preview
The Bison women bring a lot of experience to the pool this weekend with eight all-league selections returning from last season. The Bison will be led in the freestyle events by PL veterans Rebecca Scheffter and Mary Krakowski along with newcomers Alison Faux and Kristen Skroski. Scheffter, who totaled 37.0 points at last year's championships, has been the top Bison sprinter this season and is ranked fourth in the PL in the 50-yard freestyle and fifth in the 100-free. Skroski will also be a contributor in the longer free events with the sixth-best times in the 200 and 500 free.
The Bison look especially strong in the backstroke events with junior Lectie Altman ranked first in the 200 back and second in the 100 back. Sophomore Laura Goeller follows Altman with the second-best time in the PL in the 200 back while Katharine Munson, a PL Swimmer of the Week selection this season, holds the eighth-best time.
Munson will compete for the Bison in the butterfly races with the third-best time in the 200 fly. Krakowski and Lauren Reed look strong in the 100 fly with the second and third best seed-times and Munson carrying the seventh-best mark.
Goeller will also be a big factor in the individual medley events. She holds the fastest time in the 400 IM by nearly four seconds over the next fastest competitor and has posted the second-best time in the 200 IM. Nikki Woodward will also be competitive in the 400 IM with the third-best time in the league.
Senior captain Jamie Flick will handle the breastroke events in hopes to sweep both the 100 and 200 breaststrokes as she did at the 2003 PL Championships. Flick holds the school record in both the 100 and 200 breast and has posted the second-best PL marks in both events this season. Emily Wichryk and Woodward will also look to add points in the breaststrokes as Wichryk is ranked seventh in the 100 and fifth in the 200 while Woodward ranks sixth in the 200.
Freshman Erika Mannix will be likely to make an impact in her first PL Championship with the fifth-best marks in the both one-meter and three-meter dives. Mannix broke school records in both the one-meter and three-meter (11 dives) events this season and was named the PL Diver of the Week on four occasions.
Patriot League action begins in Kinney Natatorium on Thursday, Feb. 24, at 10:30 a.m. Sessions will run at 10:30 a.m. and 6 p.m. on Thursday, Friday and Saturday with trials in the morning and finals during the evening session.
