UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. – Penn State swimming & diving will be in action both Friday and Saturday in McCoy Natatorium. The weekend begins at 4 p.m. Friday when the Nittany Lion men's team hosts West Virginia, and it continues at noon Saturday when both the Penn State men's and women's teams host Bloomsburg for Senior Day and the season home finale.
Admission is free. Parking will be available in the East Parking Deck for $1 per hour. Arrive early Saturday to honor the Class of 2019 seniors.
The second intermission will feature the fourth annual Great Penn State Duck Toss, in which fans will have the opportunity to throw rubber ducks into the pool at hula hoop targets for an opportunity to win a TV. Further details will be available at the promotions table.
Additionally, there will be a pizza giveaway for students and 2018-19 season posters will also be available at the promotions table.
Schedule of Events
200 Medley Replay (Friday)/ 400 Medley Relay (Saturday)
1000 Free
200 Free
100 Back
100 Breast
200 Fly
50 Free
1-meter Diving (Friday)
100 Free
200 Back
200 Breast
500 Free
100 Fly
3-meter Diving (Friday)
200 IM
400 Freestyle Relay (Friday)/ 200 Freestyle Relay (Saturday)
The Series
The men's team is 16-16 against the Mountaineers. The two schools first met in 1968. Against Bloomsburg, they are 5-0 with their first match-up coming in 1977. The women are 5-0 against the Huskies, first meeting back in 1973.
Last Time Out for Penn State
The Penn State men and women competed against at Navy and also versus North Carolina last weekend. On the men's side, senior Hector Garcia Boissier swept the diving events and Gabe Castano and Michael Daly earned first-place finishes to lead Penn State men's swimming and diving during the first meet of 2019. On the boards, Garcia Boissier won the 1-meter with a score of 395.25 and the 3-meter with a score of 392.75. Jack Crow also had two top-five finishes, placing third in the 1-meter (314.40) and fourth in the 3-meter (314.45). In the pool, Castano earned a first-place finish in the 100 free (44.92) and Daly did the same in the 400 IM (3:55.75). Daly also came in second in the 1000 free (9:11.85), making him the second-fastest performer in the event in school history.
The Nittany Lion women claimed 14 top-three finishes throughout the 16 events over the weekend. Senior captain Ally McHugh led the women with two first-place finishes in both the 500 free (4:49.40) and 400 IM (4:17.40). She also claimed second place in the 200 free (1:50.15). Freshman swimmer Madison Murtagh brought home a first-place finish for Penn State in the 1000 free (10:03.38) earning a Big Ten Freshman of the Week honor for her performance. Additionally, Carly Hart took home two second-place finishes in both the 200 breaststroke (2:16.42) and 400 IM (4:24.91).
Scouting the Mountaineers
The West Virginia men are currently 4-1, with their last meet being a win over TCU on Jan. 12.
Scouting the Huskies
The men's and women's teams are currently both 5-1, with their last meet being a first-place finish each in the FLAC Winter Invitational on January 9.
Next Up
Penn State men's and women's teams will travel to Villanova to face the Wildcats on Friday, Feb. 1 at 5 p.m. ton conclude the regular season.
A fundraiser was launched to support freshman women's swimmer Nikolette Nolte and her family for costs associated with her leukemia treatment. Any surplus funds will be donated to THON and the Jessie Rees Foundation to help others facing pediatric cancer. Donate at gopsu.info/nikistrong
Check GoPSUSports.com for coverage of the Penn State swimming and diving teams during the season. Follow the team on Twitter at @PennStateSWIM and on Facebook at facebook.com/pennstateswimminganddiving.
