Bucknell University Athletics
Bucknell's Fletcher, Atkinson Earn Patriot League Swimming Weekly Honors
11/17/2009 7:00:00 AM | Men's Swimming and Diving
Nov. 17, 2009
LEWISBURG, Pa. - Bucknell swimmers Daniel Fletcher (Cedar Grove, N.J./Cedar Grove) and Abigail Atkinson (Newtown, Conn./Newtown) were both honored by the Patriot League on Tuesday. Fletcher was named the conference's Male Swimmer of the Week, while Atkinson was cited as the Female Swimmer of the Week. Both had strong performances at this past weekend's competitive Princeton Open.
Fletcher swam in five individual events and four relays over the course of the two-day meet. He earned eight top-five finishes, including the lone first-place showing of the weekend by any Bison in the 100-yard backstroke. He finished the 100 back in 52.21 seconds, .07 seconds ahead of runner-up William Colton of Fordham.
Fletcher was the top Bucknell finisher in four of his five individual events and set season-best times in the 200 individual medley, 200 freestyle and 200 back. Additionally, Fletcher helped the 400 medley relay to a second-place showing and both the 200 and 800 free relays to third-place finishes.
Atkinson was just as busy as Fletcher, competing in nine total events as well. Her third-place finish in the 200 back (2:07.11) equaled the best by a Bucknell women's swimmer, while her times in the 50 free (24.67) and 200 IM (2:10.53) were season bests.
Atkinson took part in four relays with the best finish coming in the 400 free relay, where the quartet of her, Megan Mongan, Lauren Timmerman and Molly Goebel took third in 3:33.02. Overall, Atkinson posted nine top-10 finishes.
Both the Bison men's and women's swimming and diving teams will be idle until they host the Bucknell Open the first weekend in December. The three-day event will run Dec. 4-6.
