33rd Annual PSAC Women's Swimming Championships Preview
Feb. 20, 2008
MECHANICSBURG, Pa. - The 33rd Annual Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference Women's Swimming Championships will be hosted from Thursday, February 21 through Sunday, February 24 at Cumberland Valley High School in Mechanicsburg.
Following the completion of the 1,000-meter freestyle on Thursday evening, the remaining three days of competition will begin with preliminaries at 10:00 a.m. and finals at 6:00 p.m.
Tickets for the championship will be on sale at the door. All students attending a PSAC institution are admitted free with a valid student ID. Tickets for preliminary sessions are $5 for adults while tickets to finals sessions are $7. All-session passes are $35. Student prices are $2 per session and $10 for an all-session pass.
West Chester will look to defend its championship after turning in a dominant performance one year ago with 810 points to capture its fifth championship since 2001 as the Golden Rams won 15 of the 19 contested events during the week. Clarion, who has won a total of 26 women's championships, finished second with 562 points.
On the strength of a sixth-place finish in the 400-yard freestyle relay, Indiana (Pa.) held off Shippensburg for fourth-place with 381 points compared to 377 for the Lady Raiders. Bloomsburg was fifth with 338 points.
FREESTYLE
50: Returning champion Jackie Borkowski of West Chester will look to repeat her title and enters with the top ranking in the PSAC and the leading time in the nation, having posted an ‘A’ cut time of 23.68 seconds … fellow Golden Ram Megan Bauer has also recorded an ‘A’ cut time and the duo will have to face eight other swimmers that have recorded NCAA ‘B’ cut times … the group includes Clarion’s Kaitlyn Johnson, Bloomsburg’s Dianna Smith and IUP’s Abbey Doran.
100: Defending champion Jackie Borkowski’s ‘A’ cut time of 51.39 is the second-fastest in the nation and the West Chester sophomore will look to fend off 13 other swimmers that have recorded ‘B’ cut times this season ... leading the remaining pack is California’s Esther Bosch, while Bloomsburg’s Dianna Smith and West Chester’s Megan Bauer are also among the top-five ranked in the PSAC.
200: Returning champion Dianna Smith is ranked second in the PSAC and will look to repeat her crown once again, while California’s Esther Bosch leads the conference with an 'A' cut time of 1:52.95 … five other swimmers have recorded NCAA ‘B’ cut times, including Kutztown’s Ashley Singer, Shippensburg’s Whitney Garner and Bloomsburg’s Allie Reed.
500: West Chester’s Danielle Ierley, who finished fifth a season ago, ranks first in the conference and is one of five competitors who have posted NCAA ‘B’ cut times … fellow Golden Rams Jackie Borkowski and Christie Angstadt are ranked in the top five and will compete against Kutztown’s Ashley Singer and IUP’s Jen Price.
1,000: Edinboro freshman Marie Nedley ranks at the top of the conference and has recorded an NCAA ‘B’ cut time of 10:39.12 … her closest competition comes from a pair of swimmers from West Chester as Christie Angstadt and Megan Bauer also recorded NCAA ‘B’ cut times this season and rank second and third in the PSAC.
1,650: Edinboro’s talented freshman Marie Nedley is one of four swimmers with NCAA ‘B’ cut times competing in the event, while Clarion’s Stevie Coble and West Chester’s Christie Angstadt are the leading returners and are ranked within the top-10 in the PSAC this season … West Chester’s Danielle Ierley and IUP’s Heidi Mitskavich will also provide stiff competition to a crowded field of competitors.
BUTTERFLY
100: Shippensburg’s Mandi Foltz and West Chester’s Kristen McCabe return after top-five finishes last season and will try to upheave West Chester’s Erin Fischer and Clarion’s Kaitlyn Johnson, who are the top ranked swimmers in the conference. Fischer, Johnson, Foltz and West Chester’s Jillian Murphy have all recorded NCAA ‘B’ cut times and will look for the top prize in the event.
200: Three swimmers from West Chester lead the rankings, highlighted by Erin Fischer’s ‘B’ cut time of 2:09.83 … Shippensburg’s Mandi Foltz is ranked fourth and returns looking for more while IUP’s Jordan Myers rounds out the top-five.
BREASTSTROKE
100: Edinboro’s Brooke Heath, an eight-time All-American, leads the nation with her time of 1:05.25 and returns looking to avenge a runner-up finish one year ago … Clarion’s Denise Simens and Kelly Connolly have recorded ‘B’ cut times and will provide fierce competition, while IUP’s Kate Rowe brings with her a ‘B’ cut time of 1:07.00.
200: Edinboro’s Brooke Heath has the nation's top time with an NCAA ‘A’ cut mark of 2:20.77. Heath will receive fierce competition from Clarion’s Denise Simens and IUP’s Brittany Watkins who have both recorded ‘B’ cut times.
BACKSTROKE
100: Four swimmers have posted times below 60 seconds, highlighted by West Chester’s Jackie Borkowski … Lock Haven’s Amanda Terray and Clarion’s Lori Leitzinger join Borkowski with ‘A’ cut times while the trio ranks second through fourth in the nation … West Chester’s Kate Jones has recorded a ‘B’ cut time of 59.87.
200: Clarion’s Lori Leitzinger is the defending champion in the event and returns as the top ranked swimmer after recording the fastest time in the nation at the event back in December... Lock Haven’s Amanda Terray has recorded a ‘B’ cut time, while West Chester’s Gina Agro leads a strong group of competitors from around the conference.
INDIVIDUAL MEDLEY
200: Last year, Edinboro’s Brooke Heath finished second only to Kathrin Dumitru … with her graduation, Heath will look to take the crown this year and enters having already recorded an NCAA ‘A’ cut time of 2:07.48 and leading her closest competition by more than three seconds … West Chester’s Kate Jones, Shippensburg’s Whitney Garner and Clarion’s Sari Cattoni have all recorded NCAA ‘B’ cut times and will also be looking for a championship.
400: Edinboro’s Chelsea Grosser is the only swimmer to record an NCAA ‘B’ cut in the event, while Shippensburg’s Molly McNeil returns after a 10th place finish last year as the second-ranked swimmer in the conference … Bloomsburg’s Lisa Ferrigno, IUP’s Brittany Watkins (6th place last year), Clarion’s Rebecca Burgess and East Stroudsburg’s Christine Swiker are also seeking top honors.
RELAYS
200 Freestyle: West Chester and Clarion have recorded NCAA qualifying times in the event and rank first and second, respectively … Shippensburg’s squad ranks third and is the only other team within half-a-second of the NCAA cut time … last season, West Chester edged Clarion by 33-hundredths of a second while seven schools posted sub-1:40 times.
400 Freestyle: West Chester’s team of Kate Jones, Megan Bauer, Kristen Montello and Jackie Borkowski leads the pack after having recorded an NCAA qualifying time of 3:29.38 … Clarion and Shippensburg will provide significant competition while Edinboro and IUP will be looking for victory as well.
800 Freestyle: The West Chester quartet of Megan Bauer, Danielle Ierley, Kristen Montello and Jackie Borkowski enter as the favorites after putting together an “A” cut time of 7:43.01 … Shippensburg enters as the second-ranked squad and will provide heavy competition while Clarion, Bloomsburg and IUP round out the top-five.
200 Medley: Defending champion West Chester returns with a squad that leads the conference after recording an ‘A’ cut time of 1:46.42 … Clarion’s squad ranks second in the conference while Shippensburg and Edinboro are vying for victories of their own … the Lady Raiders finished second in the event last year, three seconds behind West Chester.
400 Medley: The West Chester quartet of Jackie Borkowski, Rachael Gale, Erin Fischer and Kristen Montello has recorded an NCAA 'A' cut time and rank first in the conference, but competitors from Clarion, Edinboro and Shippensburg will look to end West Chester’s streak. West Chester won last year’s medley relay by more than five seconds over the Lady Raiders.
- PSAC Women's Swimming -
