Bucknell University
Patriot League Championships
Women's Swim & Dive Breaks Two School Records, Jumps Two Spots on Third Day of PL Championships
2/23/2024 11:17:00 PM | Women's Swimming and Diving
ANNAPOLIS, Md. – The Bucknell women's swimming & diving team broke two school records, and first-year Kate Handley earned a bronze medal in the 100 breaststroke to help the team climb two spots in the meet standings on the third day of the Patriot League Championships Friday. Bucknell currently sits in fourth place with 597 points.
Handley shined in both the prelims and the finals for the 100 breaststroke, culminating with her first collegiate medal Friday night. After setting the school record in the event back at Bucknell's December invitational, Handley broke her own mark against during Friday's prelims with a 1:02.03. Her time was good enough for third, and she placed in that same spot in the finals with a 1:02.37.
Hanna Bingley also made the A finals in the 100 breaststroke and placed sixth with a 1:02.97, which ranks only behind Handley in the record book.
Bucknell also broke the 200 freestyle relay record in the final event of the evening. Virginia Hastings, Kyla Kelly, Kayla Lichtner and Esme Hunter combined to swim a 1:32.93, just breaking the previous school best of 1:32.97 that was set in 2022. They placed sixth with their performance.
Hastings and teammate Kelly Byrne both earned A finals finishes in the 400 IM. Hastings took fourth with a 4:23.54, and Byrne went eighth with a 4:26.38.
In the 100 backstroke, Hunter just missed out on a medal with a fourth-place finish behind a 55.18 time. Navy's Megan Murphy took the third spot with a 55.03. Rylie Giles rounded out Bucknell's top-eight finishers, as she secured the last A finals spot in the 200 freestyle with a 1:50.75. Sydney Dettmann won the 200 freestyle B finals with a 1:50.09, which ranks eighth in the Bucknell record book.
Skye Sunderhauf finished 11th in the 400 IM with a 4:24.98, Caroline McGann went 15th in the 200 freestyle with a 1:52.63, and Samantha Benzija added a 12th-place finish in the 100 backstroke with a 57.10.
On the boards, first-year Natalie Penman led all Bison and placed second in the 1-meter B finals with a score of 239.50.
Bucknell, which entered the day in sixth place, now trails third-place Boston U. (708), second-place Army (826) and first-place Navy (1,003).
The fourth and final day of the Patriot League Championships gets underway at 10 a.m. on Saturday with the 200 backstroke prelims.
Program Top-10 Performances:
200 Freestyle Relay – Virginia Hastings, Kyla Kelly, Kayla Lichtner, Esme Hunter (1:32.93) – school record
100 Breaststroke – Kate Handley (1:02.03) – school record (prelims)
100 Breaststroke – Hanna Bingley (1:02.97) – 2nd in school history
200 Freestyle – Sydney Dettmann (1:50.09) – 8th in school history
A Finals Finishers
400 IM – Virginia Hastings (4:23.54) – 4th Place
400 IM – Kelly Byrne (4:26.38) – 8th Place
200 Freestyle – Rylie Giles (1:50.75) – 8th Place
100 Breaststroke – Kate Handley (1:02.37) – 3rd Place
100 Breaststroke – Hanna Bingley (1:02.97) – 6th Place
100 Backstroke – Esme Hunter (55.18) – 4th Place
200 Freestyle Relay – Virginia Hastings, Kyla Kelly, Kayla Lichtner, Esme Hunter (1:32.93) – 6th Place
Players Mentioned
