- Skelos Media Guide Bio (2009-10)
ACADEMIC ALL-BIG TEN (2008-09)
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2009-10 UPDATE (AS OF NOV. 13)
• Finished second in the 200 backstroke (2:02.73) and 200 IM (2:07.96) and fourth in the 100 backstroke (57.77) and 200 medley relay (1:47.32) at Virginia Tech (10/31).
• Swam to second-place finishes in both the 200 backstroke (2:03.91) and 400 IM (4:25.09) against West Virginia/Colgate (10/24).
• Competed in three events in the season-opener at St. Bonaventure (10/13), finishing first in the 400 IM (4:29.48), second in the 200 medley relay (1:50.76) while also swimming the 200 breaststroke (2:32.41).
2008-09 (JUNIOR YEAR): Had very strong junior campaign, competing in a variety of races ... Participated in the NCAA Championships in the 200 backstroke (1:57.39, preliminary), 200 IM (2:00.53, preliminary), 400 IM (4:20.02, preliminary) and 400 Medley Relay (3:38.89, preliminary), finishing 45th, 46th, 47th, and 20th, respectively ... Had an outstanding Big Ten Championship, including many season best times. Recorded an NCAA `B' Qualifying Cut time of 1:56.78 in the 200 backstroke in a 10th-place finish ... Swam to season best finishes in the 200 IM (1:59.80) and 400 IM (4:15.73, preliminary), finishing 11th and 12th overall. The 200 IM time was also a `B' Qualifying Cut ... Was fourth in the 100 backstroke (59.34), second in the 200 backstroke (2:03.12) and fourth in the 200 IM (2:08.33) against Ohio State ... Against Villanova/Pittsburgh/Maryland, placed sixth in the 200 backstroke (2:06.58), fifth in the 200 IM (2:08.69) and fourth in the 400 IM (4:27.18) ... Strong showing at Ohio State Invitational included season best finish (10th overall) in the 100 backstroke (57.08), third overall finish in the 200 backstroke (1:58.57), fifth in the 200 IM (2:03.11), third in the 400 IM (4:17.65) and eighth in the 400 medley relay (3:49.62) ... Against Virginia/Florida State, placed ninth in the 100 backstroke (59.46), eighth in the 200 backstroke (2:04.53), ninth in the 200 IM (2:07.18), eighth in the 400 IM (4:29.71) and sixth in the 200 medley relay (1:48.95) ... Top finishes at Southern Methodist included the 100 backstroke (third, 58.68), 200 IM (fourth, 2:07.86) and 200 medley relay (third, 1:47.34). The 200 medley relay finish was a season best by over a second ... Finished fifth and sixth in the 200 backstroke (2:03.13) and 400 IM (4:24.01) a day earlier at Texas A&M (10/31) ... Opened home slate vs. Richmond by winning the 400 medley relay (3:50.93), coming in second in the 200 backstroke (2:05.65) and fourth in the 100 breaststroke (1:09.27) ... Season opener at West Virginia included second-place finish in the 200 backstroke (2:03.96), third in the 400 IM (4:28.56) and fourth in the 200 medley relay (1:51.17) ... Named an Academic All-Big Ten honoree. SUMMER 2008: Swam in the U.S. Olympic Trials for the Nittany Lions and the club team Long Island Aquatic Club ... Took 15th in the 200 back and 23rd in the 400 IM ... Came in fourth in the 400 IM and third in the 200 IM and 200 back at the Charlotte Ultraswim. 2007-08 (SOPHOMORE YEAR): Garnered an 18th-place finish in the 200 backstroke at the NCAA Championships, two spots from honorable mention All-America status. Also finished 28th in the 200 IM ... Broke the school record in the 200 back at the Big Ten Championships, an event she ended in second ... Was a second-team All-Big Ten honoree ... Aside from the 200 back, also placed in the 400 IM (third) and 200 IM (seventh) ... Earned Academic All Big-Ten Honors ... Took four first-places on the year. Swam in second eight times and third 10 times ... Had a first-place finish in the 200 backstroke versus West Virginia ... Defeated Michigan State, Purdue and Virginia swimmers in the 200 back ... Swam season best times in the 100 back, 200 back, 200 medley relay and 400 medley relay at Princeton ... Claimed second in the 200 medley relay at Pittsburgh ... Garnered second-place finishes in the 200 and 500-freestyle events versus West Chester. SUMMER 2007: Swam in three events at U.S. Nationals: the 100 and 200 backstrokes and the 200 IM ... Finished 15th in the 200 backstroke finals (after placing ninth in the prelims) and 33rd in the 100 back. 2006-07 (FRESHMAN YEAR): Started freshman campaign slowly, but came on strong at the end of the year to become one of three Nittany Lion freshmen to qualify for NCAA Championships ... Best times in the 100 backstroke and 200 IM came at the Big Ten Championships while best time in the 200 back came at the NCAA Championships, where she finished 22nd ... At Big Tens, garnered points for Penn State with a 10th-place finish in the 100 back, sixth-place in the 200 back and 12th-place in the 200 IM ... Swam in those three events as well as the 400-medley relay team at NCAAs ... Ended the year with the team's fastest time in the 200 back, the second fastest in the 100 back and the fourth fastest in the 200 IM ... Swam to NCAA `B' times in the 100 and 200 back and the 200 IM ... Had four first-place finishes on the year in addition to two second-places and six thirds ... In first collegiate meet, finished third in both backstroke events at the Clemson/Virginia/Virginia Tech quad meet ... Placed second in the 100 back and fifth in the 200 IM at the Big Cat Invitational ... Picked up points for Penn State in the 100 back (11th place), 200 back (fourth with an NCAA `B' time) and as a member of the 400 medley relay team (seventh). Also swam in the 800 free relay and in the 100 fly at the Bell Grand Prix ... Was on the second-place 200 medley relay team at the dual meet vs. West Chester ... Part of the third-place 200 free and 200 medley relay teams at the dual meet vs. Ohio State ... Swept both backstroke events, winning both the 100 and 200 back and was also on the third-place 400 free relay team in the dual meet vs. Rutgers ... Won the 200 back, finished fourth in the 100 back, placed fourth in the 200 IM (in an NCAA `B' cut) and placed fourth in the 400 IM in her first swim of the year in that event at the Shamrock Invitational. HIGH SCHOOL: Was a recipient of the John Small Athletic Award and was an Academic All-American ... Earned six varsity letters and was a two-time team captain ... As a freshman and sophomore, placed fourth in the 200 IM at the state meet ... As a junior, was eighth in the 100 backstroke and third in the 200 IM at states ... Then as a senior, finished second in the 200 IM and fourth in the 100 back at states ... Set numerous school records as a senior ... Her school, South Side High, also won the Division II championship. PERSONAL: Full name is Daphne Skelos ... Born on May 1, 1988 in Rockville Centre, N.Y. ... The daughter of Peter and Faith Skelos ... Has an older sister Alexis, who was a member of the swimming team at William & Mary ... Both parents also swam in college, mother at SUNY-Farmingdale and SUNY-Cortland and father at Emory ... Biobehavioral health major. ON CHOOSING PENN STATE: 'Because of the great athletics and academics and because of the amazing coaching staff.' GETTING TO KNOW DAPHNE
Major & Why: Biobehavioral Health
Favorite Thing About Penn State: The small campus feeling
Favorite Restaurant In State College: Zolas
Favorite Penn State Sport Other Than Swimming: Football
Favorite Athletic Memory At Penn State: Big Ten Championships sophomore year
Favorite Class At Penn State: Psych 270 (Abnormal Psych)
Favorite Color: Green
Favorite Musical Artist: Billy Joel
Favorite Movie: Chocolat
Favorite TV Shows: So You Think You Can Dance & Family Guy
Favorite Pro Team: New York Yankees
Favorite Athlete: Usain Bolt
Childhood Idol: Belle from Beauty & the Beast
Most Prized Possession: My horse Chincateague
Place I'd Like To Visit: Australia
If I Had $1Billion, I Would: Travel around the world visiting third world countries