Widener’s men’s swimming team continued its dominance of the Middle Atlantic Conference, capturing its 12th league championship and fifth consecutive at the Catholic Youth Center in Wilkes-Barre, PA.
The 2010 class is just the third in the program’s history to win four MAC titles, joining the class of 1999 and 2009. The 12 championships have come within a 17-year span and the five in a row marks the second longest streak in league history behind 17 by Johns Hopkins from 1971-87.
What has been even more dominant than the Pride’s run is that of the 800-yard relay team, which won its sixth straight title in 7:08.53. That squad was comprised of sophomore Jordan Mulligan (Dingmans Ferry, PA), junior Justin Gorbey (Secane, PA), sophomore Charlie Schindler (Pasadena, MD) and junior Dalton Schiller (Media, PA).
Junior Jesse Bregman (Oreland, PA) avenged his second-place finish in last year’s 100-yard freestyle by winning in 47.72 seconds.
Sophomore Joe Deighan (Wyomissing, PA) took second in the 500-yard freestyle in 4:49.38 and second in the 100-yard breaststroke in 1:00.86. Schindler grabbed second in the 400-yard IM in 4:13.04 and Bregman captured second in the 200-yard freestyle in 1:46.18.
Senior Matt Slomiany (Lansdale, PA) grabbed second in the 1,650-yard freestyle in 16:57.82, freshman Michael Roth (Columbia, MD) was second in the 200-yard backstroke in 1:59.40 and Schindler took second in the 200-yard breaststroke in 2:10.69.
The men’s 400-yard freestyle relay team also was second, finishing in 3:12.55. The squad was comprised of Gorbey, Mulligan, Bregman and freshman Tim Merli (Jessup, PA).
Widener saw three of its relay teams grab bronze medals, beginning with the 200-yard freestyle relay squad that stopped the clock in 1:26.85. That team was made up of Mulligan, Bregman, Nick Moore (Philadelphia, PA) and fellow freshman Nick Girken (Baltimore, MD).
The 400-yard medley relay team was third in 3:33.06, comprised of Roth, Deighan, Moore and Bregman. The 200-yard medley relay team closed third in 1:36.31 and was made up of Merli, Moore, Bregman and junior Steve Goss (Allentown, PA).
Schiller ended third in the 500-yard freestyle in 4:51.48 and the 400-yard IM in 4:16.83. Schindler took third in the 200-yard IM in 1:57.96, Moore grabbed third in the 100-yard butterfly in 53.89 seconds and Deighan was third in the 200-yard butterfly in 2:01.73.
Also among the bronze medalists were Merli in the 100-yard backstroke in 54.65 seconds and the 200-yard backstroke in 1:59.72, Gorbey in the 200-yard freestyle in 1:47.00, Goss in the 100-yard breaststroke in 1:01.29 and sophomore Sean Corcoran (Newtown, PA) in the 200-yard breaststroke in 2:18.12.
The men cruised to victory with 814 points to best chief-rival Albright, which ended second with 640 points. Bob Piotti, in his 23rd year as head coach, was named MAC Coach of the Year for the 10th time.
Kelsey Lake (Ijamsville, MD) continued her impeccable freshman campaign by winning the 100-yard backstroke in 1:01.75 and the 200-yard backstroke in 2:14.64.
Senior Emma Thrasher (Gettysburg, PA) took second in the 100-yard backstroke in 1:02.98.
Lake grabbed third in the 500-yard freestyle in 5:29.74 with senior Elin Berlin (Stockholm, Sweden) taking third in the 100-yard breaststroke in 1:09.83 and the 200-yard breaststroke in 2:32.74. Junior Molly Bendzyn (Cherry Hill, NJ) closed third in the 200-yard backstroke in 2:18.97.
The women’s 200-yard medley relay team was third in 1:53.09 and was made up of Lake, Berlin, sophomore Carlee Moir (Broomall, PA) and freshman Hayley Conover (Egg Harbor Twp., NJ).
The women’s team ended in fourth place.
Men
1. Widener 8142. Albright 6403. Misericordia 551.54. Messiah 3725. Lycoming 262.56. Arcadia 1717. Lebanon Valley 1628. FDU-Florham 1559. Elizabethtown 12710. King's 11
Women
1. Lycoming 6162. Misericordia 6033. Albright 5894. Widener 4965. Elizabethtown 2376. Lebanon Valley 2117. Messiah 1968. King's 1869. FDU-Florham 12810. Arcadia 93