Dec. 2, 2012
ATHENS, Ga. - Finishing the Georgia Invitational with 507.5 points, the Penn State men's swimming and diving team concluded the three-day event with a fifth-place finish. The final day of competition was highlighted by four NCAA "B" cut performances, all produced in individual events by the Nittany Lions (2-2).
Capping off an impressive weekend, freshman Shane Ryan (Havertown, Pa.) posted his fifth NCAA "B" cut of the invitational with a fourth-place finish in the 100 free. After previously qualifying in the 50 free, 100 back, 200 medley relay and 400 medley relay, the rookie swam a new personal best time of 43.90 seconds in the A Final. Following Ryan in seventh place, junior John Hauser (Pottstown, Pa.) posted a season best time of 44.36 seconds, narrowly missing the NCAA standards by .07 seconds.
Sophomore Nate Savoy (Reading, Pa.) swam to his fourth NCAA "B" cut in the 200 back, claiming fourth place with a season best 1:43.83. Also recording an NCAA qualifying performance, Matt Salig (Downingtown, Pa.) earned his first "B" cut of the season in the 200 fly with a time of 1:47.63 for fourth place. Sophomore Ryan Magee (Chestnut Ridge, N.Y.) followed Savoy in the 200 back in 24th place (1:49.91), while sophomore Kyle Madley (Madison, N.J.) followed Salig in the 200 fly in 14th place (1:50.19).
Recording his second individual "B" cut of the weekend, sophomore Nick Ankosko (East Brunswick, N.J.) swam the 1,650 free in 15:14.80 for a ninth-place finish. It was his first time swimming the event this season. The sophomore was followed by fellow New Jersey native Chris Cipolla (South River, N.J.), who swam a new personal best time of 15:38.00 for 21st place.
Penn State had several Lions make the finals on the closing day, with six cracking the top-24 in the 100 free. Junior Shane Austin (Kennett Square, Pa.) and sophomore Jeff Young (Hershey) swam to season best times in the B Final, with Austin posting a time of 45.44 seconds for 14th place and Young swimming a time of 46.58 seconds for 16th place. Competing in the C Final, junior Andrew Sideras (Philadelphia) took 19th with 45.30 seconds, while freshman Matt Grillo (Montreal, Quebec) swam a time of 45.68 for 22nd place.
In the 200 breast, Cipolla led the Lions in the B Final in 11th place with a season best time of 2:02.76. The junior captain was followed by junior James Wilson (Nottingham, Pa.) in 15th (2:03.73) and sophomore Jonathan Ekstrom (Silver Spring, Md.) in 16th (2:04.29). Both Wilson and Ekstrom's times were their season best performances.
The Lions concluded the Georgia Invitational in the 400 free relay, with the squad of Ryan, Hauser, Austin and junior Sean Grier (Hummelstown, Pa.) swimming to fifth place with a time of 2:56.56. Savoy, Sideras, Salig and Young followed in 10th place with a time of 3:00.16.
Penn State will take a month-long break before returning to action on Thursday, Jan. 3 in the New Year. The divers will travel to Knoxville on Jan. 3-5 to compete in the Tennessee Collegiate Diving Invite, while the swimmers will head to Naples, Florida on Jan. 3 for a dual meet against North Carolina.
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