Saturday, November 14, 2009

BETHANY, W.Va. - The Westminster College men's and women's swimming and diving teams won their Presidents' Athletic Conference (PAC) dual meets Saturday at Bethany with the women winning 104-78 and the men winning 104-58. The Titans posted the top results in all of the meet's events, but chose to exhibition 11 events once the victory was clinched.

The Westminster women are now 3-0 dual meets and 2-0 in PAC dual meets this year, while the Titan men are 1-0 in the PAC and 2-0 overall. Bethany's teams are both 0-3 overall and 0-1 in the PAC.

Three Westminster women's swimmers who made up the winning 200-yard medley relay team (1:44.56) also won an individual event before posting the meet's fastest time as an exhibition entry in another individual event.

They included senior Maile Kirkpatrick (Meadville, Pa./Meadville) in the 50 freestyle (26.60) and the 100 backstroke (1:05.09), sophomore Caitlin Lehberger (New Wilmington, Pa./Wilmington) in the 100 butterfly (1:01.54) and the 100 breaststroke (1:08.31), and senior Emily Dressler (Hummelstown, Pa./Mount Calvary Christian) in the 200 freestyle (1:59.72) and the 100 freestyle (55.93).

On the men's side, sophomore Mike Barringer (Boardman, Ohio/Boardman) also followed suit after he helped the men win the 200 medley relay (1:42.07) before capturing the 200 IM (2:05.24) and posting an exhibition time in the 100 freestyle (49.55) that was faster than Bethany's winner.

Sophomore Todd Slobodnyak (Monroevile, Pa./Gateway) won the 1,000 freestyle (10:56.78) and his exhibition time in the 100 backstroke (57.12) beat out just two of his own teammates.

Freshman Nathanial Kronenwetter (Danville, Pa./Danville) won the 1-meter diving competition (166.50) and his 3-meter score (179.60) was an exhibition result that beat Bethany's winner.

Westminster returns to action at home on Wednesday when it hosts Washington & Jefferson at 6 p.m.

About Westminster College...
Founded in 1852 and related to the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.), Westminster College is a top tier liberal arts college and a national leader in graduation rate performance, according to U.S. News Guide to America's Best Colleges. Westminster ranked third among liberal arts colleges in social mobility, according to the Washington Monthly College Guide, and is one of the most affordable national liberal arts colleges in Pennsylvania. Westminster is also honored as one of "The Best 371 Colleges" and "Best in the Northeast" by The Princeton Review, and is named to the President's Honor Roll for excellence in service learning.

Nearly 1,600 undergraduate and graduate students benefit from individualized attention from dedicated faculty while choosing from 41 majors and nearly 100 organizations on the New Wilmington, Pa., campus. Visit www.westminster.edu/advantage to view "Advantage: Westminster" A Strategic Plan 2010-2020.