Jan. 4, 2012
NAPLES Fla. & ATHENS, Ga. - Penn State men's swimming & diving team took part in winter training competitions this week in Florida and Georgia. The swimmers faced North Carolina outdoors on an unseasonably chilly Wednesday morning in Florida, taking five of the 11 events including both relays in a non-scored dual meet. The divers spent their time on Tuesday and Wednesday competing in the Bulldog Shootout hosted by the University of Georgia.
The Nittany Lions stormed off the blocks with a victory in the 400 medley relay (3:29.80) by the team of Nate Savoy (Reading, Pa.), Mitch Scherer (Pottstown, Pa.), Sean Grier (Hummelstown, Pa.) and Shane Austin (Kennett Square, Pa.).
Andrew Sideras (Philadelphia, Pa.) continued the winning ways in the 50 freestyle, touching the wall in 21.26, followed by Austin (21.38). After Savoy was narrowly edged in the 200 IM, swimming 1:57.29 to UNC swimmer Tom Luschsinger's 1:57.04, Matt Salig (Downingtown, Pa.) won the 200 butterfly in a time of 1:53.50.
Scherer returned to the pool for the 200 breaststroke and won in a time of 2:07.29, followed by Andrew Smiddy (Miami, Fla. in second (2:11.06). The Penn State afternoon ended positively in the 200 freestyle relay during a tight race. Austin held off UNC's Evan Reed as Penn State won in a time of 1:24.19, a victory of .31. Joining Austin on the relay were Sideras, Jeff Young (Hershey, Pa.) and Grier.
The PSU divers wrapped up their time in Athens on Wednesday with the 1-meter springboard competition. Alex Marchinski (Shillington, Pa.) was the highest finishing Lion with a 20th-place showing. Marchinski was also Penn State's best performer on Tuesday in the 3-meter event, finishing 20th as well.
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For complete coverage of all the Nittany Lion swimming & diving this season, visit GoPSUsports.com.
--NITTANY LIONS--