Bucknell University Athletics
Four Bison Men's Swimmers Named All-Patriot League
2/26/2014 5:29:00 PM | Men's Swimming and Diving
LEWISBURG, Pa. – Bucknell senior Mike Nicholson (Chappaqua, N.Y./Horace Greeley) earned his fourth consecutive First Team All-Patriot League honor and three other Bison men's swimmers also garnered All-League honors, the league office announced Wednesday. Freshman Louis Behnen (Overland Park, Kan./Rockhurst) joined Nicholson on the first team, while juniors Erik Heinemann (Cold Spring Harbor, N.Y./Cold Spring Harbor) and Ben Seketa (Camillus, N.Y./West Genesee) were second-team selections.
Eleven-time champion Navy had nine first-team picks and led the way with 16 all-league honorees. Bucknell's four citations ranked fourth in the league behind Navy, Army and Boston University. The Bison placed fourth in the final Patriot League Championships team standings behind those same three squads.
Veterans Nicholson, Heinemann and Seketa have each earned multiple all-league honors throughout their careers. Nicholson is the first Bison to earn four consecutive First Team All-Patriot League citations since multiple All-PL teams were created in 2004, while Heinemann has been on the Second Team for three straight years. Seketa was a second-team choice for the second consecutive year.
Each of the All-Patriot League teams is comprised of 19 student-athletes. First-team status is automatically awarded to competitors who earn a first-place finish at the championship meet. The remaining first-team slots are filled by student-athletes with the highest remaining individual point totals from the meet. Second-team status is automatically given to all second-place finishers who do not otherwise have enough points to move up to the first team. The remaining second-team slots are the filled by competitors with the highest remaining point totals.
Nicholson, the overall points champion in the Patriot League Class of 2014, won the 200 IM and 400 IM and finished second in the 200 fly at the Patriot League Championships, which took play last Wednesday through Saturday at Navy's Lejeune Hall. He broke his own school records in both the 200 IM (1:48.16) and 200 fly (1:46.17) and finished the meet ranked second in points scored (57) to Navy's Thomas Duvall (60).
A 12-time Patriot League scorer who had nine career top-three finishes, Nicholson won three career gold medals as he captured the 400 IM title as a freshman in 2011.
The all-time leader in Patriot League Male Swimmer of the Week awards with 16, Nicholson became the first Bison to win two events at the same Patriot League Championships since Luke Trafton in 2008 and his three career titles are the most since Trafton claimed three crowns during his tenure (2007-10).
The reigning Bison Athlete of the Week, Nicholson was also part of school records in the 200 and 400 medley relays this past week, while he helped the 400 free relay to the No. 7 time in program history.
The first Bison rookie to earn First Team All-Patriot League honors since Nicholson in 2011, Behnen had an impressive debut Patriot League Championships, recording three individual top-five showings. He finished second to Nicholson in the 400 IM (3:54.46), third in the 1,650 free (15:23.83), and fifth in the 500 free (4:26.53).
Behnen now ranks second in school history in the 400 IM, 1,650 free and 500 free. His 1,000 split time (9:16.76) in the 1,650 free places him second in that event as well. Behnen entered the Patriot League Championships listed sixth on the 200 back ledger, but did not compete in that event.
In addition to his individual performances, Behnen, who tied for eighth in the league in points scored (47), was part of the school record-setting 800 free relay.
Heinemann landed on the Second Team for the third straight year after scoring in three individual events for the third consecutive conference meet. He finished sixth in the 200 fly (1:48.83), eighth in the 200 free (1:39.04) and 11th in the 500 free (4:30.84) and currently ranks in the top five in school history in all three of those events.
Heinemann, who ranked 34th in the conference with 30 points scored this year, has now scored in nine career events at the Patriot League Championships with six of those coming in the “A” finals.
Heinemann was also part of the school record-setting 400 medley and 800 free relays last week.
Bucknell's top breaststroke swimmer, Seketa was 27th in points scored with 33 thanks to sixth-place finishes in both the 100 breast (55.55) and 200 breast (2:02.00) and a 10th-place showing in the 200 IM (1:51.70). He has now scored in both breaststroke events at each of the last three PL Championships.
An eight-time Patriot League scorer, Seketa was also part of the school record-setting 200 and 400 medley relays.
In total, Bucknell's four All-Patriot League choices combined for two new individual school records, 12 new program top-10 marks and they scored in all 12 events in which they competed.
While the Patriot League Championships are now complete, the season does not end for the Bison. A number of Bucknell student-athletes will be competing at this weekend's ECAC Championships, which take place back at Navy. The event starts Friday and continues through Sunday.
Bucknell's All-Patriot League Selections (previous All-League selections)
First Team
Mike Nicholson (2011 – 1st; 2012 – 1st; 2013 – 1st)
Louis Behnen
Second Team
Erik Heinemann (2012 – 2nd; 2013 – 2nd)
Ben Seketa (2013 – 2nd)
Players Mentioned
