Bucknell University Athletics
Competitve summer for Luke Trafton
8/6/2008 8:00:00 AM | Men's Swimming and Diving
Aug. 6, 2008
Article originated in The Times Record (Brunswick, Maine), Aug. 5, 2008.
LEWISBURG, Pa. --
Bath's Luke Trafton, a former Morse High School student/athlete and Long Reach Swim Club standout, is keeping busy training and competing.Trafton, a Bucknell University student, remained in Lewisburg this summer to train and compete for the USA Bison Aquatic Swim Program at Bucknell, along with three other teammates.
Bucknell coach Dan Schinnerer said that this was an important step as the Bucknell Bisons continue to work towards their goal of building one of the premier programs in the East and returning to a position of prominence on the national scene.
In June, Trafton traveled to Charlotte, N.C. to compete in the Charlotte Ultra Swim Grand Prix. This meet served as one of the final tune-ups before this summer's Olympic Trials. He faced some of the better swimmers in the country and the world including Ryan Lochte, Gil Stovall and Sebastion Roult. Trafton posted several personal best times.
Just recently, Trafton competed in the four-day Mid Atlantic Senior Long Course Championships which was hosted at Bucknell University's Kinney Natatorium.
Trafton started the meet off with a victory in the 800-meter freestyle. He was seeded first with a time of 8:36.92 and swam to first place in 8:20.71, which easily qualified him to compete in the U. S. Open. The next closest swimmer finished 15 seconds behind him.
Next came the 400 freestyle where he was seeded second with a preliminary time of 4:07.46. He swam to a second place finish with a personal-best time of 4:03.26.
In his third day of competition, Trafton was seeded sixth with a time of 1:58.25 in the 200 freestyle prelims, but finished first with a time of 1:56.73 going into the finals that evening. He swam to a second place in the finals with a third personal-best time of 1:55.93.
On his final day of competition, Trafton was seeded first in the 1500 freestyle with a time of 16:24.55 and won the event with another best time of 16:04.08.
At the conclusion of the championship meet, Trafton was awarded the 2008 Middle Atlantic Swimming Senior Championships Male "Iron Man Award."
It is awarded to the male swimmer who accumulates the most FINA "power points" throughout the 400, 800 and 1500 freestyle events and 400 individual medley. Trafton did not swim the 400 IM, but scored over 2,300 power points to win the award.
Trafton is scheduled to travel to Minneapolis, Minn., to compete in the U.S. Open, which outside of the US Olympic Trials, is the fastest meet hosted on by USA Swimming.
He has already qualified for the 2009 U.S. Open in Federal Way, Wash.
Trafton, a Bucknell University student, remained in Lewisburg this summer to train and compete for the USA Bison Aquatic Swim Program
