Boyle Earns Bucknell's First-Ever PL Diving Title as Bison Women Finish Third in Team Standings

Saturday, February 18

Annapolis, Md.

6:00 PM

Bucknell University

Patriot League Championships

Boyle Earns Bucknell's First-Ever PL Diving Title as Bison Women Finish Third in Team Standings

2/19/2012 7:00:00 AM | Women's Swimming and Diving

By: TBD

Feb. 19, 2012

Results

Complete Results

ANNAPOLIS, Md. - Freshman Tara Boyle won Bucknell's first-ever diving gold medal at the Patriot League Championships and sophomore Kelly Pontecorvo broke her own school record in the 1,650 free to highlight the final day of the conference championship meet Saturday at Navy's Lejeune Hall. The Bison finished in third place in the team standings behind host Navy and defending champion Colgate. It marks the 12th consecutive top-three finish for Bucknell.

Boyle led three Bison divers in the top six of the final one-meter board standings as she became the first Bison to win a diving Patriot League title. The only Bucknell student-athlete to win a title this year, Boyle scored a 243.40 in the finals to edge out Navy's Courtney Vandament, who won the three-meter board on Thursday. Classmate Katie Hetherington finished third and fellow rookie Tori Molchany placed sixth.

Thanks to the success by the group of freshmen divers, longtime Bucknell diving coach Errol Carter was named the Patriot League Diving Coach of the Meet. It is his second award, following his 2009 honor.

While Boyle, who had finished first just one time all year entering the Patriot League Championships, was on top of the league, Pontecorvo solidified her spot atop Bucknell's 1,650 free all-time list. She swam the distance in 16 minutes, 39.13 seconds, nearly six seconds faster than her previous school record. Pontecorvo finished second in the event Saturday, one spot better than her freshman-year showing in Kinney Natatorium. Pontecorvo also broke her own record in the 1,000 with a split of 10:05.28, nearly three seconds faster than her previous best.

Bucknell's youth was evident once again on Saturday as freshmen were the team's top finishers in three events with Boyle winning one-meter diving, Lauren Perry placing fourth in the 100 free and Emily Norton finishing fifth in the 200 breast. Sophomores were the top finishers in the 1,650 free (Pontecorvo) and 200 back, with Jennifer Brennan leading five Bison scorers with a seventh-place showing. Senior Kaitlyn Sweeney was Bucknell's top finisher in the 200 fly, touching the wall fifth.

Freshman Stephanie Koziol and sophomore Kristen Purdy both scored in two events Saturday. Koziol was eighth in the 200 fly and 10th in the 200 back, while Purdy was 14th in the 200 fly and 16th in the 200 back.

Select Bucknell swimmers will continue competition next weekend at the ECAC Championships, which will also be held at Navy.

Team Scores
1. Navy - 933.5
2. Colgate - 692.5
3. Bucknell - 593
4. Army - 422.5
5. Lehigh - 317.5
6. Lafayette - 217
7. American - 213
8. Holy Cross - 116

New Top-10 Times
1,650 free (1. Kelly Pontecorvo - 16:39.13)
1,000 free (1. Kelly Pontecorvo - 10:05.28 (split from 1,650 free))
200 back (5. Jennifer Brennan - 2:03.26)
100 free (9. Lauren Perry - 52.00)
200 fly (8. Kaitlyn Sweeney - 2:06.84; 9. Stephanie Koziol - 2:07.32)
400 free relay (4. Wright, Perry, Porcellio, Utkewicz - 3:28.45)

Bucknell Results
Melissa Besman
1,650 free - 9th, 17:21.26

Tara Boyle
1-M diving finals - 1st, 243.40

Jennifer Brennan
200 back prelims - 8th, 2:03.78
200 back finals - 7th, 2:03.26

Anna Griest
1,650 free - 8th, 17:15.09

Katie Hetherington
1-M diving finals - 3rd, 239.50

Stephanie Koziol
200 back prelims - 10th, 2:05.69
200 back finals - 10th, 2:06.04
200 fly prelims - 7th, 2:07.32
200 fly finals - 8th, 2:08.66

Meg Lattimer
200 breast prelims - 13th, 2:27.41
200 breast finals - 13th, 2:25.73

Tori Molchany
1-M diving finals - 6th, 220.55

Emily Norton
200 breast prelims - 6th, 2:20.64
200 breast finals - 5th, 2:21.46

Morgan Oxley
200 breast prelims - 19th, 2:30.42

Alex Panzarino
200 fly prelims - 12th, 2:09.68
200 fly finals - 9th, 2:07.05

Lauren Perry
100 free prelims - 4th, 52.00
100 free finals - 4th, 52.01