Feb. 23, 2008
2008 Patriot League Swimming and Diving Championship Page
Annapolis, Md. - The third and final evening session got started a little bit differently than the others, as the seniors from all eight schools lined the pool to be recognized for their efforts during their careers. A procession form the Navy Color Guard followed suit, as well as yet another stirring rendition of the Star Spangled Banner. It was tough to tell what was thicker in Lejeune Hall this evening; was it the humidity, or the anticipation for the crescendo that had been building over the past two and a half days? Only time would tell, as the final night of competition kicked off.
The men's and women's 1,650yd Freestyle served as the first course in the night's schedule, as two final heats took to the pool for the 66 lap marathon of a race. The women's race led things off with a familiar result, as Navy sophomore Tara Chapmon shattered the school record and also set a new Patriot League and Patriot League Championship meet record with a time of 16:34.63. Chapmon gradually extended her lead throughout the race and out-kicked the competition over the final laps to secure her third individual title and third Patriot League and Championship Meet record of the '08 meet. Finishing second was American senior Meghan Thiel, who finished in a time of 16:43.42. Third place went to Bucknell's Kristen Skroski in a time of 17:11.27.
For the second time in his two-year collegiate career, Bucknell sophomore Luke Trafton earned an individual victory in the men's 1,650yd Freestyle. Trafton, who set a pool record in the event last year at Bucknell, swam the race in a time of 15:34.89 to finish first. Second place went to Army's Kyle Newman, who also finished second in the 500yd Free, with a time of 15:54.83. Navy's Dan Warner finished third in a time of 16:04.46.
During the men's and women's 1,650yd Freestyle, the women's 1m diving event took place, and the results were similar to the 3m competition just a few days earlier. Navy senior Katie Griffin finished at the top of the leader board with a score of 261.10 points. Army's Lindsey Adao finished second in the event with a total of 252.90, while Bucknell's Eliza Massie was third with a score of 247.80.
The next event to hit the pool featured the consolation and championship finals in the men's and women's 200yd Backstroke. The top seed heading into the women's event was Navy's Allison Ranzau, who had edged out Bucknell's Abby Atkinson by four-tenths of a second in the morning prelims. It was, however, the third seed, Colgate's Beverly Walker, who swam away with the title. Walker finished the race in a time of 2:04.16 to help earn crucial first-place points for the Raiders. Finishing second for Navy was Allison Ranzau in a time of 2:04.39, while third place went to Bucknell's Abby Atkinson in a time of 2:05.50.
In the men's final of the 200yd Backstroke, it was the United States Naval Academy that put together a 1-2-4 finish, which extended their already increasing lead even further. Taking the individual title was freshman Ryan Ward in a time of 1:50.82. Teammate Billy Vey tallied a second-place finish in a time of 1:51.10, while Bucknell's Gonzalo Deleon was third in a time of 1:51.75.
After 29 events, the Navy men continued to have a solid hold on the top spot with a score of 595 total points. Second place went to Bucknell with 486 points, while Army held third with a total of 428 points. The women's race began to show early signs of a thrilling night, as Navy leap-frogged Colgate to hold first place after 29 events. The Mids had tallied 512.5 points to that point, while Colgate had 503 and Bucknell was third with 488.5 points.
In the always exciting men's and women's 100yd Freestyle events, it was yet another Navy sweep. The women's race featured top-seeded Thuy Mi-Dinh of the Naval Academy, who had already qualified for an NCAA `A' Cut in the 50yd Free, and had set a new Patriot League and Championship Meet record in the 100yd Free prelims. In the final, Dinh swam a new Patriot League and Championship Meet record time of 49.91 seconds. Finishing in second place was American freshman Dorothy Isaacs in a time of 51.61 seconds, while third place went to Colgate's Ashley Bottger in a time of 51.85 seconds.
Navy's Alex Oldenkamp, who had won the 50yd Free on Thursday, turned in another individual title-winning performance in the 100yd Free. The junior won the event with a time of 45.07 seconds. Lehigh's Dan Johnson, who was victorious in the 200yd Free, came in second in a time of 45.66 seconds, and was joined in a second place tie by Navy's Alex Buck.
After 32 events, the top three teams in the women's standings were separated by a mere 24 points, with Navy in first (512.5 points), Colgate in second (503) and Bucknell in third (488.5). On the men's side, Navy led with 659.5 points, Bucknell was in second with 531.5 and Army in third with 453.
The next event on tap was the men's and women's 200yd Breast. On the women's side, it was Colgate's Emily Murphy who earned a sweep of the Breast events after winning the 100yd earlier in the competition. The junior won the event in a time of 2:18.90, but it was the race for second through fifth place that could play a large point in the team standings tonight. Lehigh junior Melanie Rolish broke up the top-seeded Colgate quartet by finishing second in a time of 2:21.32. Third through fifth place went to Colgate, as senior Kacy Reams notched a third-place finish in a time of 2:23.02.
In the men's race, decorated senior Jake Mentele of Army took home yet another Patriot League individual title in a time of 2:00.87. It was the third individual title of the 2008 meet for Mentele. Finishing second in the race was Bucknell senior Joe Metcalf in a time of 2:02.82, while Navy freshman Nathan Leroy was third in a time of 2:04.26.
After 35 events, the flip-flopping continued as the Colgate women found themselves atop the standings yet again. The Raiders were in first with 641.5 points, followed by Bucknell in second with 605.5 and Navy falling back into third with 588. For the men, Navy continued to show their dominance as they had 758 total points, while Bucknell and Army had 602.5 and 501, respectively.
The final individual swimming event of the 2008 meet was the 200yd Butterfly. On the women's side, the crowd on hand in Lejeune Hall played witness to what may have been the gutsiest performance of the three-day meet, as Navy's Kelly Zahalka pulled out an individual victory in a time of 2:03.02. Zahalka, the third seed entering the finals, had already won several titles earlier in the meet, but none were bigger than this as she broke her own Patriot League Championship meet record in the process. Colgate pulled off the 2-3-4 finish in the race, as Caren Guyett (2:03.24) and Erin McGraw (2:05.36) were second and third, respectively.
In the last individual swim event of the evening, Navy's Andrew Hetzner brought home an individual title for the Mids in the 200yd Fly event, winning the race in a time of 1:50.04. The position of second place went to Lehigh's Jonathan Kearney in a time of 1:51.42, while Bucknell freshman Mike Volpe took third in a time of 1:53.79.
After 37 overall events, and all of the individual swimming events, the Colgate women had built on their lead, and now led the women's standings with a total of 689.5 points. IN second was Navy with 639, and in third was Bucknell with 612.5 points. The Navy men were in the lead with 795 total points, while Bucknell was second with 629.5 and Army third with 521.
In the final individual event of the evening, the men's 3m diving final, it was a repeat of the 1m event, as Navy teammates Jon Galinski and Olaf Olson combined for a 1-2 finish. Galinski totaled 332.00 total points, Olson totaled 331.95 points, and third-place finisher Greg Sievers of Army tallied 317.20 points.
In the final event of the 2008 championship meet, it was the exhilarating 400yd Free Relay. On the women's side, Navy recorded yet another relay victory and set another Patriot League and Patriot League Championship Meet record in a time of 3:24.83. Finishing second was Colgate in a time of 3:26.97, while Bucknell was third with a time of 3:32.73.
In the men's race, it was neck and neck between the favorites from Navy, and the underdogs from Lehigh. Heading into the final leg of the relay, both teams hit the water at the same time, but it was Navy's final swimmer, freshman Alex Buck, who closed the deal with a victory. The Mids finished in a time of 3:03.31 to take the title, followed by Bucknell in second with a time of 3:05.04 and Lehigh in a close third with a time of 3:05.25.
For complete results from day three, as well as all of your other championship meet needs, please visit the 2008 Patriot League Swimming and Diving Championship page by clicking the following link. For the final recap from this weekend's meet, please click the corresponding link below.
Day Three Recap
2008 Patriot League Swimming and Diving Championship Page
Evening Session #3 - Champions
Women's 1,650yd Free: Tara Chapmon, Navy - 16:34.64 **
Men's 1,650yd Free: Luke Trafton, Bucknell - 15:34.89
Women's 1m Diving: Katie Griffin, Navy - 261.10
Women's 200yd Back: Beverly Walker, Colgate - 2:04.16
Men's 200yd Back: Ryan Ward, Navy - 1:50.82
Women's 100yd Free: Thuy Mi-Dinh, Navy - 49.91 **
Men's 100yd Free: Alex Oldenkamp, Navy - 45.07
Women's 200yd Breast: Emily Murphy, Colgate - 2:18.90
Men's 200yd Breast: Jake Mentele, Army - 2:00.87
Women's 200yd Fly: Kelly Zahalka, Navy - 2:03.02 *
Men's 200yd Fly: Andrew Hetzner, Navy - 1:50.04
Men's 3m Diving: Jonathan Galinski, Navy - 332.00
Women's 400yd Free Relay: Navy (Ranzau, Gray, Chapmon, Dinh) - 3:24.83 **
Men's 400yd Free Relay: Navy (Oldenkamp, Unruh, Durham, Buck) - 3:03.31
* - Patriot League Championship Meet Record
** - Patriot League and Patriot League Championship Meet Record
Final Team Standings
Men
1. Navy 887
2. Bucknell 683.5
3. Army 593
4. Lehigh 358.5
5. Colgate 348
6. American 265
7. Lafayette 201
8. Holy Cross124
Women
1. Colgate 723.5
2. Navy 679
3. Bucknell 644.5
4. Lafayette 401
5. Lehigh 328
6. Army 304
7. American 275
8. Holy Cross 150
