Jan. 17, 2014
VILLANOVA, Pa. - The Penn State men's swimming and diving team dominated Friday's dual at Villanova, winning by a final of 191-96. The Nittany Lion swimmers turned in the best time in each of the 12 individual races and also the two relays. The Penn State divers also picked up two wins in the one and three meter events.
Nick Ankosko (East Brunswick, N.J.) led the way for the swimmers, touching the wall first in the 1,000 freestyle with a mark of 9:27.23 and the 500 free in 4:35.23. The senior was the only member of the team to finish with the best time in multiple events.
The Blue and White divers enjoyed a solid performance in the two competitions. Sophomore Calvin Morris (Keller, Texas) shattered his previous career-best mark of 288.60 in the three-meter competition by posting a score of 327.75 on Friday to win the event. PSU's T.J. Schenkel (Richboro, Pa.) ensured a sweep for the divers by winning the one-meter event with a score of 264.75.
Scott Heil (New Brunswick, N.J.) claimed his second victory of the season in the 200 freestyle with a time of 1:41.28 and Nate Savoy (Reading, Pa.) followed it up with a first-place finish in the 100 backstroke, finishing in 48.98.
Penn State freshman Andrew Schuehler (Camden, N.J.) recorded his first win as a Nittany Lion, winning the 100 breaststroke with a time in 56.87 and Kyle Madley (Madison, N.J.) registered his first win of the year in the 200 butterfly, touching the wall in 1:52.28.
The Nittany Lions then swept the 50 and 100 freestyle races with Shane Austin (Kennett Square, Pa.) earning first in the 50 with a time of 20.60 and Shane Ryan (Havertown, Pa.) winning the 100 in 44.83.
Junior Ryan Magee (Chestnut Ridge, N.Y.) continued the winning ways by posting a first-place finish in the 200 backstroke, posting a time of 1:52.20 and Jonathan Ekstrom (Silver Spring, Md.) added his name to the win column after recording a time of 2:06.20 in the 200 breaststroke.
John Hauser (Pottstown, Pa.), a swimmer who is no stranger to the top of the podium, finished with the top time in the 100 butterfly event in the first time he ever competed in the event as a member of the Blue and White on Friday with a time of 50.10. Fellow senior Chris Cipolla (South River, N.J.) touched the wall first in the 400 IM, the final individual event of the evening, in 4:02.97.
The 200 medley and 200 freestyle relays were the bookends of the meet. The Nittany Lions won the 200 medley with a team of Thomas Mershon (Malvern, Pa.), Ekstrom, Matt Salig (Downington, Pa.) and Andrew Sideras (Philadelphia, Pa.). The 200 freestyle relay team of Ryan, Sideras, Peter Fittin (Sea Girt, N.J.) and Heil capped off the evening by touching the wall first.
The Nittany Lions swimming and diving teams will be back in action, as the squad travels to Annapolis, Md. for a dual meet with the Navy Midshipmen on Saturday, Jan. 25. The competition is slated to begin at 11 a.m.