Bucknell Invite: Day One

LEWISBURG, Pennsylvania, November 18. FRESHMAN Katie Hetherington's college diving career is just four meets old but she already holds two Bucknell program records. Already the school record holder off the one-meter board, Hetherington smashed the school three-meter record Friday on the first day of the Bucknell Invitational at Kinney Natatorium. Hetherington's performance helped the Bison to first place in the six-team field, more than 70 points ahead of second-place Fordham.

Hetherington won the three-meter competition with a score of 285.05, surpassing Allison FitzPatrick's mark of 260.48 that had stood for nearly three years. She was 25.50 points ahead of second-place Laurie McLaughlin from La Salle. Hetherington, who had scored as high as 252.53 off the three-meter board earlier this year, broke the one-meter program record in her first collegiate meet with a 264.68.

While Hetherington's performance was Bucknell's only win in the six events contested Friday, the Bison did have plenty of solid performances. Kelly Pontecorvo posted the best individual swimming finish as she placed second in the 500 free with a time of 4 minutes, 57.81 seconds. Melissa Besman also made the "A" final and finished eighth.

Six Bison finished in the top 16 in the 200 IM, led by a third-place showing from Elizabeth Porcellio. Stephanie Koziol placed fourth, while Jennifer Brennan was 11th, but her time of 2:09.48 would have been good enough for sixth if she had qualified for the "A" final during the prelims.

Porcellio followed her third-place finish in the 200 IM by touching the wall eighth in the 50 free. Lauren Perry was the team's top finisher in the event, placing fourth.

Brennan, Emily Norton, Kaitlyn Sweeney and Perry teamed up to earn the silver medal in the 400 medley relay. In the process, the quartet registered the eighth-best time in program history (3:52.71).

The three-day Bucknell Invitational will run through Sunday. Twenty-four student-athletes in each event qualify for the evening finals. Competition will continue Saturday with the prelims beginning at 10 a.m. and the finals commencing at 6 p.m.

Sophomore Mike Nicholson won the 200-yard individual medley, junior David Magaro claimed the one-meter diving competition and the Bison 200 free relay and 400 medley relay squads each won its race as the Bucknell swimming and diving team claimed four of Friday's six events on the opening day of the Bucknell Invitational at Kinney Natatorium. The Bison are in first place in the team standings of the three-day meet with 488.5 points, 160 ahead of second-place La Salle (328.5).

Bucknell's top finisher in the two events in which it did not have a winner was second as senior Matthew Segar earned the silver medal in the 500 free in a season-best time of 4 minutes, 38.15 seconds and classmate Eric Sokolosky was the runner-up in the 50 free in a time of 20.85.

The Bison used their depth to their advantage as 20 different individuals scored in individual events. The meet is structured where top 24 finishers in the morning prelims advanced to the evening finals. All 24 finals competitors scored points.

Nicholson led a 1-2-3 Bucknell sweep in the 200 IM as he touched the wall in 1:50.32, just .57 from his own school record. He was 2.63 seconds ahead of second-place teammate Christian Treat and 4.17 seconds ahead of the next non-Bucknell swimmer to finish. Freshman Ben Seketa claimed third in the race, while junior Billy Krause was sixth. Eight Bison finished in the top 20 positions in the event.

Magaro had a stellar score in diving as he posted a 293.70, less than two points shy of his career-best mark that ranks second in program history. Four spots behind Magaro in the standings was freshman teammate Jon Jones (226.80).

Freshman Erik Heineman was just over a second behind Segar in the 500 free to take third. Sophomore Matt Ramey touched the wall sixth and freshman George Beatty was ninth, but he swam a 4:41.14, which would have placed him fourth in the "A" final had he earned his way in during the prelims.

Junior Bryce Suchomel joined Sokolosky as the only Bison to finish in the top 10 in the 50 free as he tied for 10th with La Salle's Dan Fitzgerald.

Bucknell dominated the relays as Taylor Harris, Suchomel, Treat and Sokolosky won the 200 free relay in 1:22.95, the eighth-best mark in school history. Sokolosky then teamed with Thomas Brown, Nathaniel Frye and Nicholson to win the 400 medley relay in 3:24.10, also the eighth-best time in program history.

Day two of the Bucknell Invitational will take place Saturday inside Kinney Natatorium. The prelim session will begin at 10 a.m., while the finals will start at 6 p.m.

The above article is a press release submitted to Swimming World Magazine. It has been posted in its entirety without editing. Swimming World offers all outlets the chance to reach our audience by contacting us at Newsmaster@swimmingworldmagazine.com. However, Swimming World reserves the right to choose what material is posted.

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