Bucknell University Athletics
Bucknell University
Bucknell Invitational - Finals
Nicholson Breaks School Record in 200-Yard Butterfly, Bison Men's Swimming and Diving Wins Bucknell Invitational
11/20/2011 7:00:00 AM | Men's Swimming and Diving
Nov. 20, 2011
LEWISBURG, Pa. - Bucknell sophomore swimmer Mike Nicholson has added a third school record to his tally. Already the school record holder in the 200 IM and 400 IM, Nicholson surpassed Bucknell Athletics Hall of Famer Jim Harvey's 24-year-old mark in the 200 fly by nearly two seconds to win the event Sunday evening on the final day of the Bucknell Invitational at Kinney Natatorium. Nicholson's three individual victories and one relay title during the course of the weekend helped the Bison to an easy first-place finish with 1,729.5 points, 600 ahead of second-place Delaware.
Nicholson, last year, was one of two Bison to surpass Harvey's long-standing 200 IM mark, and on Sunday he broke one of Harvey's three remaining records he still held more than two decades after graduation. Nicholson swam the 200 fly in 1:48.57, which was 1.73 seconds faster than Harvey's standard, and 4.15 ahead of the second-place finisher in the race.
Nicholson finished the weekend with first-place finishes in the 200 IM, 400 IM, 200 fly, and he was part of the winning 400 medley relay.
While Nicholson had an impressive showing in the 200 fly, the entire Bison squad capped a strong weekend by winning four of the six events contested Sunday. Thomas Brown captured the 200 back, Christian Treat won the 200 breast, and that duo paired up with Matthew Segar and Eric Sokolosky to win the 400 free relay in 3:03.99, the seventh-best time in program history.
The only two events a Bison did not win on Sunday featured second-place showings by Bucknell swimmers as Eric Heinemann captured the silver in the 1,650 free in 16:02.47 to rank No. 6 on the all-time list, while Sokolosky was second in the 100 free in 45.47, just .45 off his personal best. Heinemann also posted a fifth-place finish in the 200 fly as he was the top Bison finisher after Nicholson.
Bucknell's depth certainly shined throughout the meet, but especially on Sunday as Bison swimmers combined for 15 top-eight finishes in the five individual events.
Ben Seketa notched Bucknell's fourth new top-10 mark on the day as he finished third in the 200 breast in 2:06.17 to rank ninth on the program's list.
The Bison will be back in action in two weeks when they travel to Philadelphia, Pa., for a 1 p.m. dual meet at La Salle, which finished third in this weekend's team standings.
Team Scores
1. Bucknell - 1729.5
2. Delaware - 1129.5
3. La Salle - 1070
4. Fordham - 1023
5. Georgetown - 903
6. Colgate - 491
7. Susquehanna - 17
