Bloomsburg University Men and Women's to Compete at PSAC Championships

BLOOMSBURG- The Bloomsburg University men and women's swim team will compete at the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference Championship meet on February 21st through the 24th at Cumberland Valley High School in Mechanicsburg, Pa. The Huskies will send 12 swimmers from the women's team and 12 from the men's team.

For the women's team, senior Dianna Smith (West Grove /Avon Grove) two-time PSAC champion in the 200-free will look to defend her title for the third year in a row. Smith, who earned two time All-American honors last year, is seeded 3rd in the event in a time of 1:53.91. She is also seeded sixth in the 50-free (24.47) and the fourth in the 100-free (52.62).

Junior Allison Reed (Selinsgrove /Selinsgrove) will also compete in sprint freestyle events. Reed, who also earned two time All-America honors last year, is seeded seventh is the 200-free (1:56.36), 10th in the 100-free (52.62) and 15th in the 50-free (24.85).

In the distant freestyle events, senior Jessica Girbbin (Richboro /Council Rock North) and junior Sara Hippeli (Quakertown /Quakertown) will represent the Huskies. Hippeli is seeded ninth in the 500-free (5:15.75), seventh in the 1650-free (18:15.94), and 12th in 1000-free (10:57.90). Gribbin will compete in the 200-free (2:02.47), 1000-free (11:11.74) and 1650- free (18:49.37) events.

Junior Liz Tesoro (Doylestown/Central Bucks West) has qualified for PSAC in the 100- back (1:04.89), 200-back (2:16.70) and 100-fly (1:04.76).

Sophomores Kellie Ayres (Gilbertsville /Boyertown), Ashley Carroll (Mohrsville/Schuylkill Valley), and Amy Usciak (Lancaster /Hempfield) will be making another appearance at the championship meet. Ayres will compete in the 200- IM (2:21.15), 200-breast (2:33.35) and 400-IM (4:56.77). Carroll will also compete in the 400-IM (4:57.04) and also swim the 100-back (1:03.59) and 200-back (2:17.33). Usciak will compete in the 50-free (27.29), 100-fly (1:04.95) and 200-fly (2:18.14).

Making their first appearances to the PSAC championship meet are freshmen Lisa Ferrigno (West Chester /Bishop Shanahan), Emily Stiles (Lansdale /North Penn), Michelle Wesh (Pittsgrove, NJ /Our Lady of Mercy Academy), and Danielle Wrecsics (Coopersburg /Palisades). Ferrigno will swim the 200-IM (2:16.56), the 400-IM (4:44.92) and the 200- breast (2:31.70). Stiles will compete in the 1000-free (11:08.87), 200-back (2:15.92) and the 400-IM (4:47.14). Wesh will be swimming the 200-IM (2:23.76), 100-fly (1:05.51), and the 200 fly (2:19.40). Wrecsics will compete in the 400-IM (5:05.39), 100-breast (1:13.01) and the 200-breast (2:34.17).

The women's team finished fifth last year and look to improve this year. "Our goals are always the same, namely to swim faster than we ever have. I think that it should be a competitive meet for us and the swimmers will be very focused on their swims. We'll just have to see." Said head coach Dave Rider.

For the men's team, sophomore Joe Bentz (York /York Suburban) and freshman Tyler Delorenzo (State College /State College) have posted the top seed for the Huskies. Bentz is seeded seventh in the 200-fly (1:58.73), ninth in the 400-IM (4:20.29) and 17th in the 1000-free (10:19.58). Delorenzo is seeded seventh in the 400-IM (4:19.43), and 13th in both the 100-back (54.90) and 200-back (1:59.84).

Juniors Mike Williams (Lower Moreland /Lower Moreland) and Steve Withers (Chalfont /Central Bucks West) will make their third appearance to the PSAC Championships. Williams will compete in the 500-free (5:07.72), 100-fly (54.25) and the 200-fly (2:03.26). Withers has qualified in the 1650-free (17:25.16), 1000-free (10:24.72), 500-free (4:54.71) and 200-free (1:47.65).

Competing in the sprint freestyle events for the Huskies will be sophomore David Mancinelli (Johnstown /Westmont Hilltop). Mancinelli will swim the 200-free (1:48.43), 100-free (48.32) and the 50-free (22.07). Sophomore Dereck Fritz (Stevens /Ephrata) will compete in the distant freestyle events. Fritz will swim in the 1650-free (17:46.45), 1000-free (10:46.56) and 200-free (1:49.32). Sophomore Michael Bierd(West Chester /West Chester East) will also compete in the 50-free (23.04) as well as the 200-fly (1:58.73) and 100-fly (55.18)

The Huskies had five freshmen qualify for the meet. Juan Castaneda(Shamokin /Shamokin), John King (Ridley Park /Ridley), Tom Runscavage (Shavertown /Dallas), Ben Safran(Doylestown (Central Bucks West), and Derek Straub (Sinking Springs /Wilson) will all make their first championship appearance. Castaneda will compete in the 50-free (22.73), 100 -fly (53.39) and 200-fly (2:12.46). King will swim in the 1650-free (17:06.25), 1000-free (10:18.84), and the 500-free (4:55.20). Runscavage will compete in the in the 200-breast (2:14.47), 100-breast (1:03.19), and the 200-breast (2:21.56). Safran will compete in the 200-IM (2:15.17), 100-fly (56.35), and 200-fly (2:02.64). Straub qualified for the 50-free (22.27), 200-free (1:49.76), 100-back (54.63) and 200-back (2:00.38).

The men's team will also looked to improve on their seventh place finish at last year's PSAC Championship "We are hoping to have the swimmers swim their fastest times of the year and move up in the conference standings." Said head coach RJ Wojtylak.

The women's team ended their season with a record of 5-4, while the men ended their season with a 3-4 record.