Bucknell University
Patriot League Championships
Men's Swim & Dive Takes Fourth at 2024 Patriot League Championships
2/24/2024 11:07:00 PM | Men's Swimming and Diving
ANNAPOLIS, Md. – The Bucknell men's swimming & diving team finished in fourth place at the 2024 Patriot League Championships, which concluded at Lejeune Hall Saturday night. The Bison earned three medals and set five school records over the four-day meet, finishing with 1,043.5 points. Bucknell made seven new additions to the record book on Saturday.
Navy won the meet with 1,639.5 points, followed by second-place Army with 1,589. Loyola, which traded places with Bucknell throughout the four days, took third with 1,099 points. Chris Kopac led all Bison with 76 points scored at the championships meet.
SATURDAY RESULTS | FULL MEET RESULTS
Kopac and William Shoemaker got Saturday evening's finals started with a pair of top-eight finishes in the 1650 freestyle. Kopac took seventh with a 15:31.68, and Shoemaker was one spot behind him with a 15.33.52. Shoemaker's time ranks fifth in program history, while Kopac was just shy of his best time, which is third in the record book.
Riley Twiss finished just behind Shoemaker in ninth place with a 15:33.52 to earn the sixth-best time in school history.
Earlier in the day, Will Hedges put forth an outstanding effort in the 200 breaststroke prelims. He tied Chadd Cummings' 2019 school record of 1:58.85 and went on to finish 11th overall in the finals with a 1:58.95. James Lombardi also landed in the record book with a 2:00.53 in the event, which was good enough for sixth all-time and 15th in the finals. Matt Raudabaugh was just behind him in 16th place.
Two Bison reached the 200 butterfly A finals. John Gehrig just missed out on a medal by taking fourth with a 1:46.49, and Andy Dorsel touched the wall seventh with a 1:48.31. Dorsel's prelim time of 1:47.08 ranks third in the Bucknell record book behind Gehrig (1:45.13) and Mike Nicholson (1:46.17. Shane Wynne won the 200 butterfly B final with a 1:48.50, adding 20 points towards the Bison effort.
Justin DiSanto, Chris Fabian, Drew Greene and Finn Russell each scored points in the 100 freestyle. DiSanto led the group with a 44.27 to take 10th, and his prelim time of 44.17 ranks second all-time behind Leo Kuyl's 2023 mark of 43.92. Fabian went 12th with a 44.61, and Greene placed 21st with a 45.54. Greene's 45.03 prelim time is tied for 10th in school history.
Jackson Vinarub earned ninth-place points in the 3-meter dive Saturday evening, posting a 295.6, while teammates Connor Thurston and Jack Krug added points by finishing 14th and 15th, respectively.
The Bison ended the night with a strong finish in the 400 freestyle relay. DiSanto, Fabian Kopac and Gehrig completed the relay in 2:58.17 to take fourth place and score 52 points.
Looking ahead, the Bison travel back to Annapolis next weekend to compete at the 2024 ECAC Championships. The meet begins Friday, March 1 and concludes Sunday, March 3. The Bison place second overall at the meet last season.
Saturday's Program Top-10 Performances:
200 Breaststroke – Will Hedges (1:58.85) T-school record (prelims)
200 Breaststroke – James Lombardi (2:00.53) – 6th in school history
1650 Freestyle – William Shoemaker (15:33.52) – 5th in school history
1650 Freestyle – Riley Twiss (15:35.24) – 6th in school history
100 Freestyle – Justin DiSanto (44.17) – 2nd in school history (prelims)
100 Freestyle – Drew Greene (45.03) – T-10th in school history (prelims)
200 Butterfly – Andy Dorsel (1:47.08) – 3rd in school history (prelims)
Saturday's Top-8 Placers:
1650 Freestyle – Chris Kopac (15:31.68) – 7th Place
1650 Freestyle – William Shoemaker (15:33.52) – 8th Place
200 Butterfly – John Gehrig (1:46.49) – 4th Place
200 Butterfly – Andy Dorsel (1:48.31) – 7th Place
Overall School Records:
800 Freestyle Relay – John Gehrig, Shane Wynne, Andy Dorsel, Chris Kopac (6:30.17)
400 Medley Relay – Chris Fabian, Noah Basista, John Gehrig, Justin DiSanto (3:12.99)
100 Butterfly – Chris Fabian (46.92)
200 Freestyle – Chris Kopac (1:35.72)
200 breaststroke – Will Hedges (1:58.85) (Ties Record)
Overall Medal Winners:
John Gehrig, Shane Wynne, Andy Dorsel, Chris Kopac – bronze – 800 Freestyle Relay (6:30.17)
Andy Dorsel – Bronze – 400 IM (3:51.78)
Chris Kopac – Bronze – 200 Freestyle (1:35.72)
Players Mentioned
