PRESIDENTS' ATHLETIC CONFERENCE (PAC)
2010 MEN'S & WOMEN'S SWIMMING & DIVING CHAMPIONSHIPS
GCC/PAC Invitational - Grove City College - Grove City, Pa. - Feb. 18-20, 2010
Current PAC Men's Team Standings (Day 2 of 3)
1. Grove City College (GRO) 634
2. Westminster College (WES) 466
3. Washington & Jefferson College (W&J) 340.5
4. Saint Vincent College (SVC)* 142
5. Bethany College (BET) 73
Current PAC Women's Team Standings (Day 2 of 3)
1. Grove City College (GRO) 532
2. Westminster College (WES) 470.5
3. Washington & Jefferson College (W&J) 436.5
4. Chatham University (CHA) 213
5. Saint Vincent College (SVC)* 205.5
6. Bethany College (BET) 81
* - D-III provisional member - ineligible for PAC title
Washington & Jefferson
Both Washington & Jefferson College squads sit in third place after Friday's second day at the 2010 Presidents' Athletic Conference Swimming and Diving Championships hosted by Grove City College.
Grove City appears primed to sweep both men's and women's titles for the second-straight season. The Wolverine men lead the four-team standings with 634 points. Westminster is second with 466 points and W&J (340.5) and Bethany (73) round out the standings.
The women's race is closer as the Wolverines (532) own slim advantages over Westminster (470.5) and W&J (436.5). Chatham (213) and Bethany (81) complete the women's PAC field.
The Presidents' men set a pair of school records. During the 100 backstoke preliminaries, sophomore Andy Rish (North East, Pa./Cathedral Prep) posted a time of 53.97 to establish the school record. He placed fifth in the finals with a time of 54.08.
The evening ended with a second-place finish in the 800 freestyle relay by juniors Brandon Smith (Wexford, Pa./North Allegheny) and Christian Larson (Pittsburgh, Pa./Penn Hills), sophomore Jonathan Weeks (Donora, Pa./Ringgold) and freshman Patrick O'Toole (Butler, Pa./Fox Chapel). The relay shaved more the two seconds off the previous school record set in 2006 with a time of 7:03.15.
Smith also took second place in the 400 IM (4:11.43), while Larson grabbed fifth place in the 100 butterfly (52.80). Rish and Larson also helped the 200 medley relay place second in a time of 1:37.26. Senior Mark Sirkoch (New Kensington, Pa./Plum) and freshman Joe Weiland (Pittsburgh, Pa./North Allegheny) also swam on the relay.
The W&J women, who held the overall lead after day one, were led by sophomore Brittney Vogel's (Butler, Pa./Butler) second-place 400 IM (4:45.97) finish. Classmate C.J. Corcoran (Harleysville, Pa./Souderton) earned third place in the 100 butterfly (59.85) and fourth place in the 100 breaststroke (1:08.37).
Corcoran also teamed with sophomores Ellie Tecza (Pittsburgh, Pa./Schenley) and Katie Steider (Cochranton, Pa./Meadville) and freshman Katlin Dagg (Mentor, Ohio/Hawken) to place third in the 200 medley relay (1:51.69). Steider then recorded a fourth-place showing in the 100 backstroke (1:01.66).
The final day of action begins Saturday morning. Grove City is looking for its third-straight men's championship, while hoping for back-to-back women's titles for the first time since 1998-1999.
