Washington & Jefferson
The Washington & Jefferson College women own the day one lead following Thursday's opening action at the 2010 Presidents' Athletic Conference Swimming and Diving Championships hosted by Grove City College.
The Presidents' women garnered 218 points and own a slim lead over Westminster (214) and Grove City (194). Chatham (86) and Bethany (43) round out the day one standings. In men's action, Grove City leads the way with 299 points followed by Westminster (204), W&J (152) and Bethany (51).
Sophomore Bethany Haver (Akron, Ohio/Harvey S. Firestone) shined for Washington & Jefferson with the lone PAC Championship. She totaled a conference-record 419.95 points to win the 1-meter diving title and collected another NCAA Division III Championship qualifying mark.
Haver outdueled last year's NCAA qualifier, Krystal Kovach of Penn State-Behrend, by three points to earn the first-place honor. PS-Behrend participates in the Allegheny Mountain Conference Championships which in conjunction with the PAC Championships form the Grove City Invitational.
Sophomore Brittany Vogel (Butler, Pa./Butler) placed fourth in the 200 IM (2:10.74) and qualified for the NCAA "B" Cut. Freshman Katlin Dagg (Mentor, Ohio/Hawken) collected a fourth-place showing in the 500 freestyle (5:18.50).
The W&J women started the evening with a second-place showing in the 200 freestyle relay (1:39.93). Junior Chrissy Brant (Latrobe, Pa./Latrobe) and sophomores C.J. Corcoran (Harleysville, Pa./Souderton), Katie Steider (Cochranton, Pa./Meadville) and Ellie Tecza (Pittsburgh, Pa./Schenley) swam on the relay.
Dagg, Corcoran, Vogel and Steider also ended the first day of competition by placing second in the 400 medley relay (4:05.00).
The men's squad was led by third-place individual showings by junior Brandon Smith (Wexford, Pa./North Allegheny) and freshman John Szott (Bethel Park, Pa./Bethel Park). Smith posted a time of 1:57.46 in the 200 IM, while Szott racked up 325.25 points on the 3-meter diving board.
Senior Mark Sirkoch (New Kensington, Pa./Plum) touched fifth in the 50 freestyle (22.10) and then teamed with Smith and sophomores Andy Rish (North East, Pa./Cathedral Prep) and Jonathan Weeks (Donora, Pa./Ringgold) for third place in the final race of the evening, the 400 medley relay (3:35.62).
