West Chester University capped off a spectacular weekend at the 2008 PSAC Women’s Swimming Championships with its second straight conference title and sixth in the past eight years at the Cumberland Valley High School Natatorium Sunday evening.
West Chester University’s men’s swimming team dominated the 2008 PSAC Men’s Swimming Championships over the weekend to claim the school’s 10th straight PSAC title in impressive fashion at Cumberland Valley High School Sunday night.
West Chester totaled 919 points in the meet, outdistancing second-place Clarion (631.5) by 287.5 points. Shippensburg was third with 451.5 points and Kutztown fourth with 326.
For the Golden Rams, it is their 21st PSAC crown on the men’s side on the occasion of the 50th anniversary of the PSAC Swimming Championships.
Marek Malopolski won his third individual title of the weekend on Sunday, placing first in the 200 breaststroke with an NCAA qualifying time of 2:05.23, which broke his own school record set back in 2005. West Chester also took third and fourth in that event to gain significant points with its depth.
For Malopolski, it was his fifth overall title after having swam a leg on both the 200 medley relay team and the 400 medley relay team, which also won PSAC crowns.
David Smoker won his second PSAC championship in as many days placing first in the 200 butterfly with an NCAA qualifying time of 1:51.37. That was also good for a new meet record. Ben Kuntz and Phil Luzny finished right behind Smoker in second and third, respectively. Kuntz was .58 seconds behind Smoker and qualified for the NCAAs as well. Luzny’s time of 1:54.02 was good for a ‘B’ cut time.
Rod King won the mile (1650 freestyle) with a 16:16.39 that was good for a ‘B’ cut time as well. Kuntz finished second in that event with a 16:20.99.
West Chester totaled 703 points in the meet, outdistancing second-place Clarion (523.5) by 179.5 points. Indiana (Pa.) was third with 407 points and Edinboro fourth with 370.
Sophomore Jackie Borkowski (Norristown, Pa./Methacton) won three individual conference titles and swam a leg on three relays, which also took home PSAC crowns, to lead the Golden Rams’ onslaught in the pool. Borkowski finished up her trifecta on Sunday with a first-place in the 100-yard freestyle, touching the wall in 51.56 and qualifying for the NCAAs. She also won the 50 free and 100 backstroke earlier in the weekend while taking part in the 200 free relay, 400 free relay and 800 free relay teams that also were PSAC champions.
The 400 free relay sewed up its spot in the NCAAs with a time of 3 minutes, 4.82 seconds to top the field on Sunday.
West Chester dominated the field in the 200 butterfly, capturing the top four spots. Freshman Erin Fischer (McCungie, Pa./Emmaus) earned an NCAA ‘B’ cut time with her first-place time of 2:08.89. Kristen McCabe (Philadelphia, Pa./Mt. St. Joseph Academy) was also a ‘B’ time qualifier with a 2:10.95. Alyssa Smidlein and Laura Boyle each finished third and fourth, respectively.
West Chester’s men’s and women’s swimming teams will now gear up for the NCAA Division II Men’s and Women’s Swimming & Diving Championships, which will take place next month in Missouri.
