Bucknell Men's Swimming and Diving in Second After First Day of PL Championships

Thursday, February 16

Annapolis, Md.

6:00 PM

Bucknell University

Patriot League Championships

Bucknell Men's Swimming and Diving in Second After First Day of PL Championships

2/16/2012 7:00:00 AM | Men's Swimming and Diving

By: TBD

Feb. 16, 2012

Results | Live Results | Live Video video camera

ANNAPOLIS, Md. - Sophomore Mike Nicholson posted his second consecutive top-three finish in the 200-yard individual medley at the Patriot League Championships and six Bison scored in the event Thursday at Navy's Lejeune Hall, helping the Bucknell men's swimming and diving team to a second-place showing after the first day of the three-day conference meet. The Bison have 167.5 points, while the host Mids, who won all five events contested Thursday, have 275 points. Third-place Lehigh totaled 130 points.

Nearly one-third of Bucknell's points Thursday came in the 200 IM as Nicholson, Christian Treat (6th), Thomas Brown (7th), Billy Krause (11th), Nathaniel Frye (14th) and Matthew Stevens (16th) combined for 52 points in the event. Nicholson's time of 1 minute, 50.11 seconds was just .36 seconds shy of his school record in the event that occurred at last year's Patriot League Championships. Despite a slightly slower time, Nicholson improved his placing from third last year to second this season.

Treat and Brown helped Bucknell have three of the top seven finishers in the 200 IM. Brown's prelim time of 1:51.76 ranks him sixth on the program's all-time list. He had never before finished higher than 10th in the 200 IM at the Patriot League Championships, while Treat earned his third straight top-seven finish.

Senior Matthew Segar led the Bison in the 500 free with a fourth-place finish. He had finished seventh in the event each of the last two years. He was the only Bucknell swimmer in the "A" final, but freshman Erik Heinemann won the "B" final to finish ninth overall in a time of 4:32.75. That time ranks him fourth on the program's all-time list and was nearly seven seconds faster than his previous best coming into the day.

Senior Eric Sokolosky was Bucknell's top finisher in the 50 free, placing seventh. He has now finished first, third, fifth and seventh in the event during his career. His prelim time of 20.70 was a season best.

Sophomore Trevor Reitz also had success in the 50 free, touching the wall in 20.87 in the final to finish 10th overall. He is now listed eighth in the record books, two spots ahead of Taylor Harris, who finished 11th Thursday in a career-best time of 20.91.

Both Bison relay squads Thursday set program top-10 marks. The 200 free relay of Reitz, Harris, Bryce Suchomel and Treat finished fourth, but recorded the seventh-fastest time in program history. Brown, Treat, Reitz and Sokolosky earned a silver medal in the 400 medley relay Thursday, finishing in 3:20.81, the third-best time in program annals.

The one-meter diving prelims were also held Thursday and freshman Jon Jones placed 13th in a field of 21.

The Patriot League Championships continue Friday. Prelims commence at 10:30 a.m., while finals are at 6 p.m.

Team Scores
1. Navy - 275
2. Bucknell - 167.5
3. Lehigh - 130
4. Army - 100.5
5. Colgate - 80
6. American - 61
7. Lafayette - 66
8. Holy Cross - 45

New Top-10 Times
500 free (4. Erik Heinemann - 4:32.75)
200 IM (6. Thomas Brown - 1:51.76)
50 free (8. Trevor Reitz - 20.87; 10. Taylor Harris - 20.91)
200 free relay (7. Reitz, Harris, Suchomel, Treat - 1:22.71)
400 medley relay (3. Brown, Treat, Reitz, Sokolosky - 3:20.81)

Bucknell Results
Thomas Brown
200 IM prelims - 5th, 1:51.76
200 IM finals - 7th, 1:51.80

George Beatty
500 free prelims - 22nd, 4:42.58

Nathaniel Frye
200 IM prelims - 15th, 1:54.40
200 IM finals - 14th, 1:53.93

Collin Greene
500 free prelims - 18th, 4:39.31

Taylor Harris
50 free prelims - 14th, 21.21
50 free finals - 11th, 20.91

Erik Heinemann
500 free prelims - 9th, 4:33.96
500 free finals - 9th, 4:32.75

Billy Krause
200 IM prelims - 13th, 1:53.88
200 IM finals - 11th, 1:53.23

Mike Nicholson
200 IM prelims - 2nd, 1:50.86
200 IM finals - 2nd, 1:50.11

Matt Ramey
500 free prelims - 20th, 4:41.46

Trevor Reitz
50 free prelims - 10th, 20.90
50 free finals - 10th, 20.87

Matthew Segar
500 free prelims - 5th, 4:32.61
500 free finals - 4th, 4:29.21

Ben Seketa
200 IM prelims - 17th, 1:54.60