January 25, 2006

Bloomsburg's Backenstoe Wins PSAC Swimmer of the Week

BLOOMSBURG - Bloomsburg University senior Travis Backenstoe (Walnutport/ Northampton) was named Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) Swimmer of the Week for his performance during the week of January 16th. Backenstoe won six events, four of them individual, to lead the Huskies to a 1-1 week.

Against Shippensburg, he won the 100-free (48.26) and 50-free (21.61), while qualifying for an NCAA "B" cut time in the 50-free. Backenstoe also swam a leg in the winning 400-free relay team (3:15.52). In the win over Kutztown, he again finished first in the 100-free (49.04), 50-free (21.84) and was a part of the winning 400-free relay (3:18.16).

Backenstoe has helped lead the Huskies to a 4-2 record, their best start since 2001, and to a 23rd national ranking in the latest College Swimming.com Division II poll. Backenstoe has 13 individual first places finishes for the year and has also set two new school records. On December 4th at the Franklin & Marshall Invitational, Backenstoe swam the 50-free in a time of 21.15 to break Stu Marvin's 27 year old record of 21.20. On the same day Backenstoe was part of the 800-free relay team that swam the race in a time of 7:05.31, breaking the 2001 school record of 7:05.32.

Backenstoe and the Huskies will race at West Chester on February 4th at 1 p.m.