Bucknell University
Patriot League Championships
Bucknell Men's Swimming & Diving Takes Third at Patriot League Championships
2/18/2007 7:00:00 AM | Men's Swimming and Diving
Feb. 18, 2007
LEWISBURG, Pa. - Freshman Luke Trafton (Bath, Maine/Morse) took home Male Rookie of the Meet honors on Sunday at the Patriot League Championships after helping the Bucknell men's swimming and diving squad to a third-place finish in the three-day meet, which was held in Kinney Natatorium. The Bison finished with 557 points, while Navy earned the league title with 864 points and Army was the runner-up with 771. Rounding out the standings, Lehigh was fourth (420), Colgate fifth (285), American sixth (223), Lafayette seventh (191) and Holy Cross eighth (126).
Trafton, who earned First Team All-League recognition after capturing first in the 1,650 free, set new school and facility records in the event with a time of 15 minutes, 39.68 seconds. Sophomore Patrick Stummer (Fulton, N.Y./G. Ray Bodley) followed in fourth with the fourth-fastest time in Bucknell history, 16:09.88, while freshman Ben Leboza (Green Oaks, Ill./Libertyville) took seventh, on his way to an All-League second-team selection based on points scored in the meet. Junior Tyler Sowell (Tacoma, Wash./Charles Wright Academy) also competed in the event for the Orange and Blue and was 11th with a time of 16:39.53.
In the 200 back, Bucknell saw three of its swimmers qualify for the finals. Freshman David Iselin (Potomac, Md./Churchill) was the top finisher for the Bison in the event as he took seventh in the "A" final with a time of 1:54.28, which ranks 10th in the program record books. In the "B" final, Junior Matthew McGraw (Penfield, N.Y./Fairport) finished 11th (1:55.95) and sophomore Christopher Amato (East Norwich, N.Y./Kellenberg Memorial) was 14th (1:58.16).
Junior John Peterman (Conestoga, Pa./Penn Manor), junior Grant Steadman (Richmond, Va./Collegiate) and sophomore Mark Kawczenski (Wilkes-Barre, Pa./Hanover Area) all scored for the Orange and Blue in the 100 free as Steadman captured fifth in the finals with a time of 46.22, Peterman was sixth to the wall (46.70) and Kawczenski was 10th with a time of 47.16.
Kawczenski and Steadman both earned all-league recognition later in the evening. Kawczenski, who was a second-team selection as a freshman, was named to the first team after winning the 100 back on day two and Steadman picked up the award based on his individual points total.
Bucknell's fifth and final All-Patriot League honoree was junior Joseph Metcalf (Knoxville, Tenn./Phillips Exeter Academy) with his second career honor. Metcalf led the way for Bucknell in the 200 breast with a third-place time of 2:04.81 and made the all-league second team for his points scored. Behind Metcalf in the event was sophomore Michael Deighan (Wyomissing, Pa./Wilson) in fifth with a time of 2:05.48, moving him up to No. 4 on the Bison top-10 list. Junior Bradford Bennett (Harleysville, Pa./Souderton Area) improved his record book ranking as well, taking ninth in the event in 2:05.35, the fifth-fastest time in Bucknell history. Freshman Brett Carey (West Chester, Pa./Malvern Prep) was 11th with a time of 2:08.36, which landed him in eighth on the program's all-time list. Junior Theo Leriotis (Murrysville, Pa./Franklin Regional Senior High) also scored for the Orange & Blue in the 200 breast, taking 16th with a time of 2:12.63.
In the 200 fly, senior Matt Crandell (Winchester, Va./John Handley) moved up to fourth in the Bison record books with a career-best time of 1:52.05, which landed him in fourth-place in the finals. McGraw qualified for the finals as well and finished 15th with a time of 2:00.46.
Bucknell took third in the 400 free relay as the team of Peterman, Kawczenski, Bennett and Steadman combined for a time of 3:05.93.
In the three days of competition at the Patriot League Championships, the Bison claimed league titles in two events and one relay and combined to break four school records.
