Centennial Conference Championships Day 3- Gettysburg College Men and Women Sweep Centennial Conference for Third Straight Year.
Gettysburg College completed its third-straight sweep of the men’s and women’s Centennial Conference Swimming Championships, in one of the closest contested meets ever. While the Gettysburg men continued its dominance, the women held off runner-up, Ursinus College, by only 7 points. Brad Brooks of McDaniel took home the most outstanding male swimmer and most outstanding male rookie swimmer awards for his three conference records (500, 400 IM, 1650) while Supriya Davis enjoyed her second most outstanding female swimmer with her gold medal swims (100 and 200 fly). Lea Candelmo picked up the most outstanding female rookie swimmer award for her wins in the 500 free and 400 IM.
Going into the final session of the 2013 Centennial Conference swimming champs, the standings showed the Ursinus women and the Gettysburg men atop the team standings. While the men’s meet is a pretty solid lock with Gettysburg ahead nearly 200 points, the women’s meet has been a battle between Ursinus and Gettysburg. Going into the final night, the Bears were up by only 11 points.
Men
Brad Brooks has questionably had two of the best performances at these championships thus far and his final session was no different. He capped his individual meet with another gold medal and conference record, this time in the 1650. The Delaware product took it out fast and never looked back as he finished in a 15:46.03 which will undoubtedly get him a ticket to the Division III national championships in March. The Diplomat distance duo of Jake Reingold and Tim Landon took second and third respectively for Franklin and Marshall College.
Mike Harmon, who has owned this event since entering the conference last year, successfully defend his title handily cruising into the gold medal at 1:50.34. His own conference record of 1:49.49 was not challenged as he will look to be competitive in the Division III national championships in this event. Harmon’s teammate Adam Weinbrom picked up the silver (1:54.73) while Ursinus’ Jacob Robinson grabbed the bronze (1:55.21).
Finishing in similar fashion as in the 200 freestyle, Jason Potter(45.61) picked up another gold medal in the 100 free beating out teammate Ashton Leyens (45.78) and Franklin and Marhall’s John Zipp (45.93). All three of the medalists’ times were good enough for NCAA “B” cuts.
The Washington College freshmen duo of Eric Burcin and Lucas Morgan swept 200 breaststroke for the Shoreman. Burcin and Morgan were 2:05.59 and 2:09.04 respectively and beat out senior David Yzbeck of Ursinus who earned the bronze medal. Burcin’s time was an NCAA “B” cut.
Washington’s Greg Lee was the top seed going into finals but Cameron Phillips (1:55.24) and Theo Hubbard (1:55.51) of Dickinson swept the event in the fourth event in a row that a team has gone 1-2 in an event. Lee was third in 1:55.94
The Gettysburg men defend their title in the 400 free relay capping a third-straight conference championship. They finished the final event with a new conference and championship record while also breaking a 15 year old pool record originally set by Team Foxcatcher in 1998. The time of 3:01.97 included a 44.98 split from anchor Ashton Leyens and puts the Bullet’s relay at 8th in Division III swimming according to Collegeswimming.com, with some conference meet results yet to be submitted. The men captured their third championship in a row by over 200 points over runner up Ursinus College, who earn their highest championship placing in school history. Brad Brooks took home two individual honors; the most outstanding male swimming and most outstanding male rookie swimmer. His three wins include three conference records in the 500 free, 400 IM and the 1650.
Women
Lea Candelmo was looking for her third individual gold going into the women’s 1650 but Franklin and Marshall’s Katie Grant just wasn’t having it. The sophomore from F&M pulled away after 200 yards and didn’t look back touching at 17:23.30. Gettysburg’s Cooper Kearns (17:19.25) ended up with the silver while Candelmo (17:40.08) was third. Grant and Kearns’ times were good enough for NCAA “B” cuts and they will be hoping for an invite to the NCAA championships in March.
Junior Malena Lair Ferrari picked up another medal in the women’s 200 backstroke winning with a “B” cut of 2:04.77. Caroline Coolidge of Gettysburg was second followed by Alex Melchiorre of Dickinson.
Kate Wiseman, the sophomore from Swarthmore, broke a 4 year old conference record in the 100 freestyle beating out Ursinus freshmen Corinne Capodanno and Dickinson’s Caitlin Klockner. Wiseman’s 52.59 was just shy of a “B” cut.
In the 200 breaststroke, freshman Marie Gingher of Gettysburg looked to upset top-seeded Ellie Miskiel of Washington College but Miskiel had enough left to hold off 100 breast champ. Maggie Regan of Swarthmore grabbed the bronze two seconds behind Gingher.
Supriya Davis continued her dominance of Centennial Conference butterfly by turning in a 2:07.53 for the gold, nearly three seconds ahead of the silver medalist, Kyleigh Hamilton of Ursinus. Caroline Brennan of Dickinson was third.
Going into the final event of the night, the Gettysburg women held a narrow 13 point lead over Ursinus College. While it was not a must-win event for the Bullets, the championship was not a done deal by any means. Ursinus ran away with the 400 relay, with a new championship and conference record and a incredible anchor leg from Malena Lair Ferrari. The Bullets settled for fourth behind Swarthmore and Dickinson, but that was alright with them as they went on to hold the lead by only 7 points after the final event. Ursinus’ women post their highest place finish in school history and a handful of conference records. Surpriya Davis of Swarthmore earn her second individual honor as the most outstanding female swimmer. Davis won the 100 and 200 butterfly while also grabbing bronze in the 200 IM. Lea Candelmo of Gettysburg was the meets female rookie of the year, placing first in the 500 free, 400 IM and picking up bronze in the 1650 free.
Full meet results available here.
Final Team Scores
Women – Team Scores
1 Gettysburg College 633
2 Ursinus College 626
3 Franklin & Marshall College 514.5
4 Dickinson College 498
5 Swarthmore College 478
6 McDaniel College 350
7 Washington College 237
8 Bryn Mawr College 179.5
Men – Team Scores
1 Gettysburg College 801
2 Ursinus College 585
3 Franklin & Marshall College 516
4 Dickinson College 483.5
5 Washington College 386.5
6 Swarthmore College 365.5
7 McDaniel College 236.5