Feb. 5, 2010
UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa.-- The Penn State men's swimming & diving team had no problem in dispatching Buffalo on Friday night at McCoy Natatorium, defeating the Bulls, 132-102. The Nittany Lions took first in every single swimming event en route to the easy victory in the final dual meet of the year.
Penn State (5-5) opened the day by taking the first two spots in the 400-yard Medley Relay. The "A" team of Dan Fimbianti (Mahwah, N.J.), Mitch Scherer (Pottstown, Pa.), Basil Kaaki (Ras Tanura, Saudi Arabia) and Brian Alden (Lansdale, Pa.) swam a time of 3:19.07. The team of Jeffrey Gomez (Morristown, N.J.), Brent Sanderson (Chadds Ford, Pa.), Scott Marino (Scotch Plains, N.J.), and John Austin (Kennett Square, Pa.) followed the "A" squad up with a time of 3:27.12. From there, Penn State would go on to win 10 more swimming events.
Kaaki backed that performance up with the best time of the year by any PSU athlete in the 50 freestyle, swimming a time of 20.38. He was followed by Jamie Grennan (Milford, Pa.) in third (21.66) and Austin (21.76) in fourth.
Senior Jon Cochrane (Boalsburg, Pa.) also posted the season's best time in the 200 freestyle, touching the wall in 1:39.53. Ben Ryan (State College, Pa.) and Graham Risley (Riverside, Ill.) swam 1:41.38 and 1:42.65, respectively, taking the next two scoring spots. Luke Bushman (Green Bay, Wis.) posted a quality time of 1:42.45 in the event as well.
Alden won his only individual event in the 100 free when he swam 44.93, followed by Risley (third) in 47.19 and Austin (sixth) in 48.07. Bushman took top honors in the 200 butterfly with a time of 1:51.92 and Josh Wakeley (Egg Harbor, N.J.) and Matt Cox (Radnor, Pa.) finishing second and third, respectively, with time of 1:55.12 and 1:57.18.
Scherer won the 200 breaststroke, posting another top time of the season, posting a 2:05.51. Marino and James Capparell (Bridgewater, N.J.) finished second and third, respectively.
Marino won the 200 IM with a time of 1:52.99 and Ryan garnered the top spot in the 500 freestyle in a time of 4:35.67. Senior Colin Quirk (Pittsburgh, Pa.) captured the 1,000 freestyle event with a time of 9:32.66 and the day was capped with a victory in the 400 Freestyle Relay. The team of Kaaki, Alden, Risley and Cochrane swam a time of 3:03.41.
In the diving competitions, Alex Marchinski (Shillington, Pa.) and Nick McLain (York, Pa.) took third and fourth, respectively, in both the 1- and 3-Meter diving events.
Friday served as an impromptu Senior Day, which was scheduled for Saturday in a dual meet against Lehigh. Due to inclement weather, Saturday's meet was cancelled and the Nittany Lions' seven seniors--Max Ettore (Medford, N.J.), Mike Kaiserian (Radnor, Pa.), Cochrane, Fimbianti, Kaaki, Quirk and Ryan--were presented with traditional senior letter blankets and escorted by friends and family during a break in the competition.
Friday also was PSU's swimming & diving Pink Day, with the team wearing pink warm up shirts, swim caps and selling t-shirts, whose proceeds went to Breast Cancer Awareness and THON. Penn State's women's swimming & diving team will hold an intrasquad scrimmage on Saturday at 9 a.m. in McCoy Natatorium with Senior Day ceremonies slated for 11:30 a.m.
The men's swimming & diving team will be in action again when they travel to the Big Ten Championships hosted by Ohio State on Feb. 24-27.
PENN STATE RESULTS
50 Freestyle
1. Basil Kaaki 20.38
3. Jamie Grennan 21.66
4. John Austin 21.76
Mike Kaiserian 21.84
100 Freestyle
1. Brian Alden 44.93
3. Graham Risley 47.19
6. John Austin 48.07
Mike Kaiserian 48.32
200 Freestyle
1. Jon Cochrane 1:39.53
2. Ben Ryan 1:41.38
3. Graham Risley 1:42.65
Luke Bushman 1:42.45
Jeff Gomez 1:48.29
200 Backstroke
1. Dan Fimbianti 1:50.26
3. Jeff Gomez 1:51.77
5. Jon Cochrane 1:56.95
200 Butterfly
1. Luke Bushman 1:51.92
2. Josh Wakeley 1:55.12
3. Matt Cox 1:57.18
Greg Daniele 1:58.62
200 Breaststroke
1. Mitch Scherer 2:05.51
2. Scott Marino 2:09.75
3. James Capparell 2:10.57
Brent Sanderson 2:15.63
200 IM
1. Scott Marino 1:52.99
5. Matt Cox 1:58.66
6. Dan Fimbianti 2:02.35
James Capprell 1:55.34
Ben Hengels 1:55.75
Mitch Scherer 1:56.82
Wade Satanik 1:59.05
Brent Sanderson 2:03.33
500 Freestyle
1. Ben Ryan 4:35.67
2. Colin Quirk 4:40.96
3. Josh Wakeley 4:41.97
4. Jack Zierenberg 4:44.12
5. Ben Hengels 4:45.59
Max Ettore 4:46.28
1,000 Freestyle
1. Colin Quirk 9:32.66
2. Jack Zierenberg 9:36.47
4. Max Ettore 9:46.59
400 Freestyle Relay
1. Kaaki, Alden, Risley, Cochrane 3:03.41
Bushman, Grennan, Daniele, Ryan 3:10.02
Cox, Hengels, Quirk, Wakeley 3:20.23
400 Medley Relay
1. Fimbianti, Scherer, Kaaki, Alden 3:19.07
2. Gomez, Sanderson, Marino, Austin 3:27.12
4. Satanik, Capparell, Daniele, Grennan 3:30.56
1-Meter Diving
3. Alex Marchinski 254.70
4. Nick McLain 215.10
3-Meter Diving
3. Alex Marchinski 262.65
4. Nick McLain 244.65
--NITTANY LIONS--